Favorite Rinks (D1 & D3)

[ZedLeppelin]

Re: Favorite Rinks (D1 & D3)

Eh that's true at every arena I've ever been to, other than for events with multiple games like the Frozen Four.

But what's the purpose of it?

[KTDC]

Re: Favorite Rinks (D1 & D3)

Honestly I think the biggest advantage that Ridder has is that it's a work of art -- the whole building is covered in maroon and gold with giant murals everywhere. It's awe-inspiring. You feel like caring so much about the sport means something when you walk in.

This, for heaven's sake, this!

[CARDS_rule_the_Burgh]

D3 non-favorites:

Middlebury - it looks very nice but I don't like the feel of the place. Too big for D3 women's games. Maybe it feels different during men's games.
Oswego - same thing as Middlebury.
Castleton - too cold.
Conn College - the worst for too many reasons to list.
Southern Maine - it's like a public rink was built on their campus.
Cortland - cold, dark and ugly.
Potsdam - same thing as Cortland but maybe not quite as ugly.

Middlebury used to be a great arena when their men's team was successful and people actually filled the place. Now, it's a dud for both genders.

As for Oswego... even as a Plattsburgh fan, I have to admit that NOTHING in D3 comes close to the atmosphere in Oswego for a men's game, especially while the students are in session (they reserve 4 sections for students, and the students fill them). Perhaps it's a bit of a dud for a women's game, but it is the best in D3 for a men's game.

[SeymoreHockey]

Re: Favorite Rinks (D1 & D3)

Let' s not forget the forgettable "ShadowDomes" in Elmira. Might be nice some day if they ever discover electricity and they remove the asbestos ceilings!!

Middlebury used to be a great arena when their men's team was successful and people actually filled the place. Now, it's a dud for both genders.

As for Oswego... even as a Plattsburgh fan, I have to admit that NOTHING in D3 comes close to the atmosphere in Oswego for a men's game, especially while the students are in session (they reserve 4 sections for students, and the students fill them). Perhaps it's a bit of a dud for a women's game, but it is the best in D3 for a men's game.

[FiveHoleFrenzy]

Re: Favorite Rinks (D1 & D3)

Honestly I think the biggest advantage that Ridder has is that it's a work of art -- the whole building is covered in maroon and gold with giant murals everywhere. It's awe-inspiring. You feel like caring so much about the sport means something when you walk in.

Which is why looking at LaBahn is so frustrating, despite the slashed costs. You can do a lot to make a place look better with a few strokes with a paintbrush.

Echoing KTDC...This is a great description of the feeling you get walking in. Makes the minor issues mentioned with parking and food seem trivial.

[Eeyore]

Re: Favorite Rinks (D1 & D3)

Another policy I really don't understand is that once you enter the arena and get your ticket scanned, you're locked in for the duration. You can't leave the arena between periods, you can't run out to your car, etc, unless you want to buy a new ticket to get back in, even though you've already paid for the game. If there's a sensible reason for locking you in, I'd love to hear it.

There are several reasons. One is that they don't want you leaving the arena to buy concessions somewhere else between periods. This has two elements. The first is obvious: they want you spending your concession dollars there. A second is that, before this policy was in place, there were a number of arenas where fans, especially but not exclusively students, would rush out at the end of a period, go to a nearby bar, pound some drinks, and come back continually drunk. It wasn't safe, and it led to an often unpleasant experience for others.

Another problem is that you have to have some policy to avoid a group of people coming in, one person leaving with all of their tickets, and bringing in another group. You can require hand stamps to get back in, but this leads to additional logistical hassles at the door.

In all, I prefer the hassles involved in a no readmittance policy to those produced by allowing it.

[Genbeau]

Re: Favorite Rinks (D1 & D3)

I like the old school vibe of Cornell's barn. Where RMU plays, I got the sense 90% of the folks there had no idea a game was going on next door, they were just there for the open skate. D3, I really like Norwich's arena, don't really care for Johnson and Wales (assuming they still play there..just an old run down community rink about 20 min from campus.)

[robertearle]

Re: Favorite Rinks (D1 & D3)

...there were a number of arenas where fans, especially but not exclusively students, would rush out at the end of a period, go to a nearby bar, pound some drinks, and come back continually drunk. .

When Wisconsin men played at the Dane County Coliseum, you could do that and never leave the building. (They sold beer, but you couldn't take it to your seat. So run down between periods, hammer down a beer r two, and then run back up to your seat.)

[Lindsay]

Where RMU plays, I got the sense 90% of the folks there had no idea a game was going on next door, they were just there for the open skate. .)

Does Robert Morris have an on campus rink? I thought they did, but this sounds like a community rink.

[Genbeau]

Re: Favorite Rinks (D1 & D3)

Does Robert Morris have an on campus rink? I thought they did, but this sounds like a community rink.

It's off-campus, 10-15 min ride if memory serves me correct. There are 2 sheets, it seemed pretty busy with the local folk, just not women's hockey busy when we visited. Not exactly related, but I really like Coach Colontino and the coaching staff. There's a team photo around there somewhere of one of asst Coach Bittle's teams when he used to play there. Dude had some flow.

[Russell Jaslow]

Re: Favorite Rinks (D1 & D3)

There's been some conversation in another thread about some rinks so I thought I'd start this thread. I've been to a lot of the rinks over the years, but there's still a lot I haven't been to yet. From the ones I have been to here are my favorites and some comments on others that I don't care for as much. Would love to see other people's lists. Remember, this is all just personal opinion, so there are no wrong posts. In no particular order, here goes:

D1 Favorites:

Princeton - love the history of the Hobey Baker Rink.
Dartmouth - something about the bowl that I fell for at first sight.
Harvard - it's Harvard!
St. Lawrence - love how old-school it looks and feels.
Vermont - similar to St. Lawrence, I've always liked the feeling there.

D3 Favorites:

Plattsburgh - there's an aura there, a very winning building for both the women and the men. You don't find that in too many places.
Hamilton - why do I love the girders?!
Williams - just a really nice sort of old-fashioned rink.
Elmira - why do I love the football stadium lights even though they create shadows on the ice?!
Adrian - nothing fancy, just simple and nice.

D1 non-favorites:

Mercyhurst - nice D3 rink.
Syracuse - similar to Mercyhurst except there are many nicer D3 rinks out there.
Clarkson - dead sounding rink. It looks nice but I don't like the feel of the place. Would rather be at St. Lawrence.
Union - too big for the women's team.

D3 non-favorites:

Middlebury - it looks very nice but I don't like the feel of the place. Too big for D3 women's games. Maybe it feels different during men's games.
Oswego - same thing as Middlebury.
Castleton - too cold.
Conn College - the worst for too many reasons to list.
Southern Maine - it's like a public rink was built on their campus.
Cortland - cold, dark and ugly.
Potsdam - same thing as Cortland but maybe not quite as ugly.

Have you been to Potsdam's since they renovated it? And it definitely is not as cold as Cortland's.

Yes, depending on what gender plays in a rink, they can be quite different. Oswego's certainly rocks for the men when they play Plattsburgh. But then I do miss Romney. As well as Clarkson's Walker Arena. Those places ROCKED.

[CrossCheck]

Re: Favorite Rinks (D1 & D3)

Have you been to Potsdam's since they renovated it? And it definitely is not as cold as Cortland's.

Yes, depending on what gender plays in a rink, they can be quite different. Oswego's certainly rocks for the men when they play Plattsburgh. But then I do miss Romney. As well as Clarkson's Walker Arena. Those places ROCKED.

One of the worst, and certainly the COLDEST RINK I've ever been to is at Hobart...ugly...sort of an off campus community rink and feels like 40 degrees below zero...I think they even call it "The Freezer".

A newer rink that is really bad is Trinity...just a mess....all that money and they have bleachers...and on only one side?...and what's that mess on the other side? Hard to figure what happened except to conclude that the architect was drunk.

[ARM]

Re: Favorite Rinks (D1 & D3)

Honestly I think the biggest advantage that Ridder has is that it's a work of art -- the whole building is covered in maroon and gold with giant murals everywhere. It's awe-inspiring. You feel like caring so much about the sport means something when you walk in.

Which is why looking at LaBahn is so frustrating, despite the slashed costs. You can do a lot to make a place look better with a few strokes with a paintbrush.

Those touches took a while to get added to Ridder, and I'm sure that LaBahn will have them in time. The best art is outside the locker room, where they have the trophy/team pictures. Those have to be a whole lot of inspiration to current players every time they head down the corridor to practice or work out.

[joecct]

I like the old school vibe of Cornell's barn. Where RMU plays, I got the sense 90% of the folks there had no idea a game was going on next door, they were just there for the open skate. D3, I really like Norwich's arena, don't really care for Johnson and Wales (assuming they still play there..just an old run down community rink about 20 min from campus.)

Lynch in Pawtucket? I've been in worse. The ice is good, the pretzels are OK, and the off ice officials are incompetent.

[PSUChamps2001]

Re: Favorite Rinks (D1 & D3)

One of the worst, and certainly the COLDEST RINK I've ever been to is at Hobart...ugly...sort of an off campus community rink and feels like 40 degrees below zero...I think they even call it "The Freezer".

its the "Cooler" but yes. Just left there and it was a little chilly alraedy. However, at least they now have all 4 sides of walls. As I say, when I can drive 30 miles to the YMCA and be warmer and play on better ice than one of the premier top DIII Mens college teams....there's an issue...