What's new
By:
USCHO Fan Forum

This is a sample guest message. Register a free account today to become a member! Once signed in, you'll be able to participate on this site by adding your own topics and posts, as well as connect with other members through your own private inbox!

  • The USCHO Fan Forum has migrated to a new plaform, xenForo. Most of the function of the forum should work in familiar ways. Please note that you can switch between light and dark modes by clicking on the gear icon in the upper right of the main menu bar. We are hoping that this new platform will prove to be faster and more reliable. Please feel free to explore its features.

Utica University 2024-25 - Retooled and Reloaded

Bartman said:
Thank you for being polite. We love The Cooler because it's our home ice, but it's inappropriate for a FF . Looking forward to some great hockey in Utica. Any of these teams are capable of winning the Championship.
Click to expand...
What's with all the hate for The Cooler? It looked like a halfway decent rink on the livestream last night.
 
Tom Coughlin said:
What's with all the hate for The Cooler? It looked like a halfway decent rink on the livestream last night.
Click to expand...
A couple of decades ago, The Cooler was actually an open air rink, hence the name. It is pretty small , only holding a capacity of 600, last night was 614 .The stands are fairly low with only seven rows and hold about 350 with the balance coming from standing room and the elevated broadcast/VIP perch over the team benches(one of the best views of any rink). It is the Geneva municipal rink that Hobart and William Smith lease for its teams, and they love their humble home ice.The concession facility is a flashback to the 1950s. HWS has paid for upgrades to the locker rooms and coaching offices. There is talk to invest in a major upgrade that would double the seating capacity with HWS endowment $$ in partnership with the city, but nothing official has been agreed. The Cooler is where opponents come to "freeze";) and usually lose as evidenced by a NCAA D3 record 53 game winning streak.
 
Last edited:
Pioneer247 said:
🤷‍♂️ 🤷‍♂️ 🤷‍♂️

If it's at Nexus, call the NCAA and complain

It's better than literally any alternative
Click to expand...
A few years back Plattsburgh women won in the quarterfinals and was the highest remaining seed and was named host for the final 4. At the same time the men were to host a quarterfinal game. The NCAA would not even allow the practices for the final 4 women to be at an alternate rink which would have solved the ice time. The mens team had to go on the road for a game that should have been in Plattsburgh. They ultimately lost the game. IMO this years F4 needs to be at the Aud or move to the Ira.
 
WCHornet said:
A few years back Plattsburgh women won in the semifinals and was the highest remaining seed and was named host for the final 4. At the same time the men were to host a quarterfinal game. The NCAA would not even allow the practices for the final 4 women to be at an alternate rink which would have solved the ice time. The mens team had to go on the road for a game that should have been in Plattsburgh. They ultimately lost the game. IMO this years F4 needs to be at the Aud or move to the Ira.
Click to expand...
You're entitled to your opinion, but by the looks of it, it's going to be in Utica one way or another... they wouldn't of announced it otherwise 🤷‍♂️
 
Tom Coughlin said:
What's with all the hate for The Cooler? It looked like a halfway decent rink on the livestream last night.
Click to expand...
Well, the fact that one has to go outside between periods to warm up comes to mind... ;)

But, seriously, my only issue with the place is that the only decent sight-lines are from the top row of the bleachers, and there are very few seats up there. (I can't provide a number, but Bartman likely could.)
 
Fishman'81 said:
Well, the fact that one has to go outside between periods to warm up comes to mind... ;)

But, seriously, my only issue with the place is that the only decent sight-lines are from the top row of the bleachers, and there are very few seats up there. (I can't provide a number, but Bartman likely could.)
Click to expand...
The top row is closer to the heaters. Hey, Utica likes to play in The Cooler going 5-4-1 in the last ten games there, while Hobart likes to play in Utica going 6-4 in the last ten played there. Hoping we both make it to the Final, where you can watch in comfort.
 
Tom Coughlin said:
What's with all the hate for The Cooler? It looked like a halfway decent rink on the livestream last night.
Click to expand...
"The cooler" doesn't do it justice. I call it the freezer. It's essentially an ODR. I played box lax there over the summer the away locker rooms look like prison showers and are tiny. They also have maybe 50 parking spots in that lot and only 1 way in or out. 90% of youth hockey rinks are better than that place.
 
Lord_Zubin said:
"The cooler" doesn't do it justice. I call it the freezer. It's essentially an ODR. I played box lax there over the summer the away locker rooms look like prison showers and are tiny. They also have maybe 50 parking spots in that lot and only 1 way in or out. 90% of youth hockey rinks are better than that place.
Click to expand...
Can't disagree with that. (Though you can park in the lot just before you get to the rink. Plenty of spots there.)
 
Bartman said:
The top row is closer to the heaters. Hey, Utica likes to play in The Cooler going 5-4-1 in the last ten games there, while Hobart likes to play in Utica going 6-4 in the last ten played there. Hoping we both make it to the Final, where you can watch in comfort.
Click to expand...
I'm surprised to see it was that close. Seemed like HC owned UC back then.
 
Lord_Zubin said:
"The cooler" doesn't do it justice. I call it the freezer. It's essentially an ODR. I played box lax there over the summer the away locker rooms look like prison showers and are tiny. They also have maybe 50 parking spots in that lot and only 1 way in or out. 90% of youth hockey rinks are better than that place.
Click to expand...
Make that 97%. ;)
 
My understanding is there is a greater emphasis on there being a championship experience/atmosphere for the student-athletes in these post-Covid years. Based on @Lord_Zubin 's description (I haven't been to The Cooler personally) I don't think the committee will be looking to Hobart to host until they get a new rink.
 
UU fans, I just checked out the Nexus facility online tour, which is totally awesome. You are lucky to have a resource like this. Good luck this weekend....but not too much:)
 
The Nexus Center is nice but it only holds somewhere around a thousand people, just announced on channel 2 the games are at the Nexus Center. Good luck getting a ticket !
 
Also played box lacrosse at the nexus center lol very nice arena (take advantage of the Utica club lounge you'll thank me later) if the seats were navy blue instead of black you'd almost mistake it for the ira at Geneseo that's how similar they are
 
Lord_Zubin said:
Also played box lacrosse at the nexus center lol very nice arena (take advantage of the Utica club lounge you'll thank me later) if the seats were navy blue instead of black you'd almost mistake it for the ira at Geneseo that's how similar they are.
Click to expand...

The Ira is a good hockey venue, but the Nexus has far more amenities for visitors. There's a large-ish sports bar ("72") basically under the same roof, and it features a full menu of pretty decent eats, a large bar area and about 72 TV's, all tuned to sports. A great option for between-games food and drink.

Now that SRO tix are officially available, the 1600 capacity matches The Ira, and I'm 100% sure that the 400 SRO's will go like hotcakes tomorrow. I'd donate my left nut to be there -I really don't need it anymore, anyway- but sometimes life gets in the way. (And, in my case, so does death.) I'm counting on you guys to describe the experience.

PS: And, it would be great to hear from Iceknight and anyone else from that neck of the woods re: the interest level there. If the peeps can get a $5 bus ride to the Genny games, I'd expect a horde of hostile knights at the gates.
 
Last edited:
I was more focusing on the actual main ice playing surface and the seats/stands surrounding it but I certainly don't disagree with anything u said about all the other stuff
 
Fishman'81 said:
PS: And, it would be great to hear from Iceknight and anyone else from that neck of the woods re: the interest level there. If the peeps can get a $5 bus ride to the Genny games, I'd expect a horde of hostile knights at the gates.
Click to expand...
Unfortunately, the students are on break. So, it will interesting to see what the Geneseo turnout is.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top