Along with reducing the width of the ice, the $6 million renovations also include installing new glass, more forgiving NHL-style boards and a new sound system. The arena’s ice compressors were upgraded two years ago. The project, which is entirely institution-funded and was originally projected to cost $4.6 million in 2020, is set to be completed by the end of August, Scarano said.
Scarano said there were back-and-forth discussions about reducing the size of the ice surface at the arena know locally as “The Whitt.” The decision was made, Scarano said, through conversations with UNH men’s hockey coach Mike Souza and women’s hockey coach Hilary Witt as well as hockey colleagues across the country.
Having a closer-to-NHL-size rink will benefit UNH in recruiting and better its chances to host an NCAA regional if the NCAA eventually moves back to using college sites for that round of the tournament, Scarano said.
The big sheet was a deterrent to some high-profile defensemen UNH tried to recruit over the years, Scarano said.
Scarano said the smaller width should also make for a better game, especially on the women’s side.
The renovations do not include completely revamping the seating bowl, which Scarano said was estimated back in 2020 to cost an additional $5-6 million.
Scarano said he has also been working with Souza, Witt and a small group of committed alumni for the past six months on plans to renovate the locker rooms and training room to state-of-the-art status. Scarano said there will be opportunities for major gift donations for that project and the group is currently working to identify potential benefactors and other financing options.
“(Other) hockey programs, particularly the ones ahead of us, have invested millions and millions of dollars in their facilities and that’s important for hockey recruits,” Scarano said. “That’s the way it is and we gotta catch up. We have a lot of catching up to do.”
