Our favorite time of the year is back: Hockey season! While the winter season can be tough, UMass has so many positive attributes that make the winter a little more bearable. My personal favorite, hockey, has officially started!Â
If you haven’t been to a UMass Hockey Game yet, this is your sign! The environment in the Mullins Center is always lively and is the best way to kick off the weekend. The excitement brings students together and it is impossible to not have a good time.
Why has hockey become such a fundamental part of the minutemen community?
The program began in 1908 playing outdoors on the campus pond. After interruptions and years of rebuilding the construction of UMass’ $51 million Mullins Center revived the Hockey team and established a new era for minutemen sports. In the years following the minutemen’s return to ice hockey, the team fluctuated between devastating losses and competitive years with several coaches and roster changes.
However, in the late 2010s the minutemen’s success began to pick up with the start of head coach Greg Carvel’s tenure and the development of player Cale Makar. The two led the team to the Frozen Four and broke records with 31 wins that season.Â
The team’s success ignited momentum among players, fans, and alumni leading the team to a national championship in 2021 and the development of a real fanbase. Since then, hockey has become an essential part of the UMass community.Â
What makes a UMass Hockey Game fun?
Throughout my life I have always been a big hockey fan, however, you don’t need to know everything about hockey to enjoy attending UMass games.Â
UMass Hockey competed against RIT at homecoming, marking the team’s first home game. My friends and I decided to join in on the fun and attend and I can honestly say it was one of my favorite parts of freshman year so far; nothing compares to the feeling of bundling up with your best friends and cheering on your school.
On Friday night’s home opener game after the first period, UMass and RIT were tied 1-1. Midway through the second period, RIT forward Lucas Romeo scored, giving RIT a 2-1 lead. Neither team scored throughout the third until the Minutemen tied the game with 0.5 second left forcing the game into overtime.Â
The second the tying goal went in the crowd was ecstatic. The student section exploded and for a second everyone in the Mullins Center bonded. Genuinely, my friends and I were jumping up and down. The amount of school spirit you feel in that moment is unbeatable.Â
Moments like these are what make UMass hockey so special, and the best part is that you don’t need to be a hockey expert to experience them. Regardless of whether you’re a lifelong fan or someone who barely knows the rules, the excitement and energy of a college hockey game make it worth attending!
If you’re new to hockey or just a little rusty on your knowledge don’t worry, it’s not difficult to catch up on the basics.Â
A standard college hockey game consists of three 20-minute periods with breaks in between each. Each team has six players on the ice, five skaters and one goalie.
You might hear fans react to calls like offsides and icing. Icing occurs when a player shoots the puck from behind the center red line across the opponent’s goal line without any player on their own team touching it. This results in a stoppage and a faceoff in the defending zone. Offside occurs when an attacking player enters the offensive zone before the puck does.
Another essential part of hockey basics is understanding penalties. Depending on the degree of the infraction, a player may spend two to five minutes in the penalty box. This gives the opposing team a power play, or an advantage with more players on the ice.
You don’t have to understand every rule to enjoy the hockey games, and with time it will begin to make more sense. The part that truly makes the experience is coming with your friends, showing up for your school, and being a part of a community! If you’re looking for something fun to do this winter, a UMass Hockey game should definitely be on your list!
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