Growing
up playing hockey you always remember the rinks that you got a chance to play
in. Whether it was because there
was a good restaurant around the corner to look forward to after the game, or
that it was a large arena with championship banners hanging from the rafters
that made you feel as though you were in the big show. I remember making the trip to play
against the Adirondack Hockey Club in the Glens Falls Civic Center when I was
just a peewee. Unknown to those
outside the hockey community, this arena was home to the little brother of the
Detroit Red Wings a program that knows a thing or two about winning from top to
bottom.
The
Adirondack Red Wings were founded in 1979 and quickly became the heart and soul
of Glens Falls and the Adirondack region.
Posting an average attendance of about 4,500 fans a night the Glens
Falls Civic Center was the place to be when the Adirondack winter rolled
around. Thanks to the Detroit Red
Wings supplying the roster with many veterans the team was extremely
successful, making the playoffs 19 out of 20 years, and winning the Calder Cup
four times. Adirondack locals were
able to watch the NHL stars of tomorrow and even some previous stars that were
rehabilitating an injury. Recognizable
names that pulled the red and white Adirondack sweater over their heads include
NHL hall of famer Adam Oates, 1990 3rd overall draft pick Keith
Primeau, NHL enforcer’s Bob Probert and Joey Kocur, and better known for his
hairstyle than his hockey statistics, NHL network commentator Barry Melrose
(hockeydb.com).
All
that’s left of the Wings are former players who have decided to make the
Adirondacks their home. Many teams from all levels of professional hockey have moved in and out of the Glen Falls
Civic center since the Wings relocated in 1999. The region is happy to welcome the Adirondack Thunder of the
East Coast Hockey League for the 2015-2016 season. Hopefully they can live up
to their predecessors’ success and bring some wins back to the Civic Center for the Adirondack
hockey fans.
Cited
Hockeydb.com
Photos
Stadiumjourney.com
Theahl.com
wikipedia
No comments:
Post a Comment