Looking for the Icing This Season?
By Amy Ziff, Editor-at-Large
December 8, 2004
We're not talking about the icing on the cake--we're talking about hockey. It's a sad day when you can't even rely on your National Hockey League to get the games together. But that's ok, because devoted fans are really all about the sport and not the competition (yeah right!). Ok, since we're always about the competition, we'll help you get that too this winter!
It's not time to turn to figure skating just yet. Hockey enthusiasts rejoice--I've got places worth traveling to in search of your favorite winter game during the NHL Lockout.
- Go to Manchester, New Hampshire to check out the Manchester Monarchs. The Monarchs are one of the top teams in the AHL (American Hockey League), and the farm team for the Los Angeles Kings. It's a great team with an incredible goalie, Mathieu Garon.
Manchester Monarchs
Verizon Wireless Arena
555 Elm Street
Manchester, NH 03101-2509
Tel: 603.626.7825
http://www.monarchshockey.com/
- Outside of Beantown, there's a lot of skatin' going on, including one of the best Division I NCAA hockey teams in the country. For consistently good hockey from some of the best college athletes in the US, visit the Boston College Eagles.
Boston College Eagles
Kelley Rink
140 Commonwealth Avenue
Conte Forum 321
Chestnut Hill, MS 02453
http://www.bceagles.com
- Michigan offers another great NCAA Division I team with a hearty hockey tradition and fantastic arena atmosphere. Brush up on your facts prior to the game by searching for the online guide that was created by the team's numerous fans.
Michigan Wolverines
Yost Ice Arena
1000 South State Street
Ann Arbor, MI 48109
Tel: 734.764.4600
http://www.mgoblue.com/section_display.cfm?section_id=190&top=2&level=2
- Across the country, in Seattle, is one of the top teams in the Western Hockey League--in fact, they're number one in the Western Division. This is amateur, Junior "A" hockey whose top talent usually gets drafted by NHL and other pro teams.
Seattle Thunderbirds
Key Arena
1813-130th Avenue N.E.
Suite 210
Bellevue, WA 98005
http://www.seattlethunderbirds.com
- Anything in Minnesota will be reliable for hockey, as it's better known as the "State of Hockey". Hockey is as big in Minnesota as anywhere in Canada, and the big hockey games/tournaments take place at the XCEL Energy Center in downtown Saint Paul. The building plays host to the State Hockey Tournament, the Red Baron WCHA Final Five, and the Schwan Cup high school holiday tournament.
XCEL Energy Center
Downtown St.Paul
St. Paul, Minnesota
http://www.xcelenergycenter.com
- Of course, we can always count on the Canadians for hockey, and so we turn to our friendly neighbors to the North to watch the Montreal Canadiens farm team. They are a lot of fun, and they're known for tearing it up in Hamilton, Ontario--a 45-minute drive from Toronto, and an hour drive from Buffalo, New York. (The Bulldogs are also members of the American Hockey League.)
Hamilton Bulldogs
Copps Coliseum
101 York Boulevard
Hamilton, ON L8R 3L4
Canada
www.hamiltonbulldogs.com
- The Blades are a Junior "A" team with the Western Hockey League (WHL), based out of Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, a hockey crazy city in the Canadian prairies. The team has a huge fan following, and the atmosphere is incredible; some big names have been drafted from the Blades.
Saskatoon Blades Hockey Club
2nd Floor Credit Union Centre
201-3515 Thatcher Ave.
Saskatoon, Saskatchewan
S7R 1C4
Tel: 306.975.8847
www.saskatoonblades.com
- Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario, a Canadian border town, is home to the "Soo" Greyhounds, one of the top-ranked Junior "A" teams in Canada. "The Great One," Wayne Gretzky, played a year of Junior hockey in the "Soo," and first donned his famous "99" while with the Greyhounds.
Sault Ste. Marie (Soo) Greyhounds
Memorial Gardens
269 Queen St. East
Sault Ste. Marie, ON
P6A 5X9
Tel: 705.253.5976
http://www.soogreyhounds.com
- The Quebec City Ramparts are a Junior "A" team with the QMJHL (The Quebec Major Junior Hockey League). Hockey greats Guy Lafleur and Patrick Roy (both drafted by the Montreal Canadiens) played for the Ramparts. Their arena, the Pepsi Coliseum, is not too far away from Quebec City's picturesque Old Town.
Les Remparts de Québec (Quebec City Ramparts)
Colisée Pepsi (Pepsi Coliseum)
250 Boulevard Wilfrid-Hamel
Québec, Québec
G1L 5A7
Tel: 418.525.1212
It's time to stop bemoaning hockey--this winter, you can have your cake (and icing!) and eat it too.
For the most recent travel news check out Amy Ziff's Travel Tips from AtoZ at www.travelocity.com/atoz. If you have a question or topic you would like me to cover in a future column, please e-mail Amy Ziff at ask.amy@travelocity.com ask.amy@travelocity.com. Come back monthly to see if your question has been answered.
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