The game will run from noon Saturday, Feb. 9, to noon Sunday, Feb. 10 outside the Eastern States Coliseum in West Springfield.
WEST SPRINGFIELD - For the countless people who watched or played hockey at the Eastern States Coliseum, that “old barn” always will have a special place in their hearts.
Those feelings of nostalgia and reverence for this region’s hockey history have inspired Springfield Falcons executive Donnie Moorhouse to offer lovers of the sport a chance to participate in a 24-hour outdoor game, to be played on an ice surface behind the Coliseum.
The game will run from noon Saturday, Feb. 9, to noon Sunday, Feb. 10, with each game going for an hour. Adult teams will play two-on-two games, youth teams will play three-on-three. Pond hockey rules apply to all contests – meaning no goaltenders. Each participant will receive two tickets to the Falcons’ 3 p.m. American Hockey League game against the Portland Pirates that Sunday (Feb. 10) at the MassMutual Center.
To register for the 24-Hour Outdoor Hockey Game, sponsored by Big Y World Class Markets, contact Moorhouse at dmoorhouse@falconsahl.com or call 413 739-4625 ext. 102.
Each player will be charged a $30 fee. That covers the cost of the tickets, construction of the rink and the permits involved.
Moorhouse, now director of strategic sales for the Falcons, has his own memories of the Coliseum. They include the 1982 and ’83 seasons, when he served as goaltender for Cathedral High School teams that won Western Massachusetts championships.
One of his teammates, Bob Kudelski, went on to play 11 seasons in the NHL after an outstanding career at Yale. Two others now are successful high school coaches – Brian Foley of Cathedral and James Joyce of Longmeadow.
The Coliseum, originally built to house agricultural shows, opened in 1916. It became a professional hockey venue in 1926. Local college, high school, junior and senior hockey teams also skated there over the years. When Eddie Shore became owner of the Springfield Indians in 1939, he instituted a junior league for youngsters 10 to 16, and made the Coliseum rink available to them each Saturday morning from December through March.
In May of 1990, Eastern States Exposition officials announced that the 1990-91 hockey season would be the last at the Coliseum, citing excessive cost in maintaining its refrigeration plant.
The last Coliseum game was played March 13, 1991, when Westwood defeated St. Joseph’s of Pittsfield 3-2 in the state Division III final. The arena’s last day for skating came March 17, 1991, when it was open to the public for a skating party.
“By holding the 24-hour game behind the Coliseum, we hope to pay tribute to the cultural and historical significance of hockey in this area while also introducing the sport to new fans,” Moorhouse said.
Outdoor games take place weather permitting, and there are no refunds for weather-related cancellations. If ice is not available, teams will play on a ball-hockey surface in proximity to the outdoor rink.
The ball-hockey alternative had to be used last year, when rising temperatures rendered ice-making impossible.
“Actually, the ball hockey proved to be a huge success,” Moorhouse said. “The players really got into the spirit of it.”
Garry Brown can be reached at geeman1918@yahoo.com