The Skate Outdoors

The first National Hockey League outdoor game occurred in Las Vegas in 1991 and featured the Los Angeles Kings against the New York Rangers. That preseason match-up saw future hall-of-famer Wayne Gretzky slash and skate his way though the arid 80-degree Sin City weather in front of more than 13,000 people wearing shorts and T-shirts. But seeing a hockey game played under the hot sun is like watching an Alaskan run the Iditarod on the beaches of Florida; some things should never leave their natural habitat.

Luckily the American Hockey League got it right for their first outdoor game, which just happens to be taking place in the snow capital itself this Saturday, Feb. 20, 1 p.m., as the Syracuse Crunch take on the Binghamton Senators in the inaugural Mirabito Outdoor Classic at the Grandstand on the New York State Fairgrounds. “The first NHL game was played in the balmy weather of Vegas,” said John Neenan, public relations manager for the Crunch. “But the first {outdoor} AHL game will be played in the cold weather tundra of Syracuse, which kind of gives it more of an authentic twist. This is how the game should be played.”

Founded in 1936, the AHL is the minor league circuit for the NHL, and at all times, players on the 28 other teams in the league are a phone call away from being called up to play in the big leagues. Many of the guys gearing up in the AHL are used to perfecting their craft in their backyard rinks, a seeming requisite for a Canadian home.

“Most of these guys are from cold weather climates,” continued Neenan, “and a game like this takes them back to their childhood and they’re excited about it because it takes them back to their roots when they were skating and practicing on frozen ponds.”

Even though the open-air setting will deviate from the usual icebox combat inside the home-ice Onondaga County War Memorial, the Outdoor Classic will be officiated and called like always, and the game will count toward the teams’ respective records. In fact, the Crunch could really use a win at this point, as they are currently ranked No. 6 out of 7 teams in the East Division and 13th out of 15 total teams in the Eastern Conference with 52 points (23 wins-25 losses-3 overtime losses-3 shootouts lost). Aside from a scheduled media event at the grandstand on Thursday, Feb. 18, neither team will have actual practice time outdoors, and will just have the usual pre-game skate come game day to get acclimated.

“The players’ general sentiment is that they will approach it the same as a regular game,” continued Neenan. “Obviously the weather will play a part depending on what conditions are like that night and they’ll have to adjust to that. From the few times I’ve been out {by the grandstand} as they’ve been setting up the rink, I’ve noticed that specific area can get pretty windy and I would think it’ll come into play. But after a couple shifts and they get a sweat going, they’ll probably get into it as always.”

Since it will be the first outdoor game played in the AHL, it’s kind of a big deal, and there will be a few surprises in store for the festivities. To sing the National Anthem, the Crunch recruited up-and-coming pop country star Jessie James, who recently posed for a spread in Maxim magazine. After the brunette songbird is done warbling the red, white and blue, a skydiver will plunge down from the starry winter night and drop the ceremonial first puck, which also has special significance: It’s the same puck that was used to kick off that 1991 Vegas outdoor game, on loan from Rich Rose, a friend of Crunch owner Howard Dolgon, who was president of Caesars World Sports at Caesars Palace at that time.

“As far as I know, {skydiving} hasn’t been done to kick off a sporting event like this,” noted Neenan. Although, back in November 1993, during a heavyweight title fight between Evander Holyfield and Riddick Bowe, a skydiver dropped in unexpectedly in the seventh round, landing just outside the rink, where he was quickly pummeled by Bowe’s corner. But, The New Times promised the Crunch that we Slap Shot devotees won’t be as quick to play human Tetris with the free-floater and will be on our best behavior.

But, after our “fan man” drops in, and the real puck is dropped, it’ll be all business. Tickets cost $40 for center grandstand seats, and $30 everywhere else. To purchase them, call the Crunch’s main line at 473-4444 to get them in advance, or show up game day and hope it’s not a sellout.

Crunch bunch: Workers assemble the outdoor rink late last week in advance of the Syracuse Crunch hockey game this Saturday against Binghamton.  MICHAEL DAVIS PHOTOS