Outdoor Hockey in the North Country

Hockey does not always have to have a ceiling to be played under thanks to winter in the North Country

Story and photo by Jeremy Fisher

It is no surprise to anyone that the sport of hockey is sacred amongst North Country residents. The region's high schools and colleges boast a number of quality hockey teams that are always cheered on by die-hard fans of the sport. Hockey can be played year-round thanks to many arenas and ice-rinks, but the game can be taken outdoors when winter comes along, providing a unique spin on the game that a region like the North Country can provide.

"Playing hockey on a pond outdoors is how the game was invented, so it feels pretty special to live in an area that can provide the means for me to do this."

From ponds, lakes, bogs, and man-made rinks, outdoor ice hockey can be found at endless places across Northern New York. Any small body of water that provides a stable layer of ice is good enough for a game of puck or "shinny," as the locals call it. "This is the way the game is meant to be played. All you need is skates, a stick and some sort of goal like a garbage can," Josh Vavre, a Brasher Falls resident says. Vavre, and many other natives to the North Country, is no stranger to playing the game outside and has been doing so ever since he was a little kid. "This is how I learned to skate. Playing hockey on a pond outdoors is how the game was invented, so it feels pretty special to live in an area that can provide the means for me to do this," Vavre says.

Outdoor games tend to be a little bit different then the indoor ones mainly due to wider areas of play and a lack of boards. "Games seem to move a lot slower outside and are not as rough because there are no boards to check people against." Mike Keenan, a local from the Brasher Falls area, says. The game is also different outside because, unlike the man-made ice that is found in rinks which is constantly smoothed by zambonis, there is little that can be done about the natural ice surface on the ponds and lakes. "It can get pretty tough to skate on due to the bumps and ridges on the ice," Keenan says. "It only gets worse once you play a couple of games and rip up the surface even more."

Young hockey players in the North Country and in other colder regions across the country and Canada seem to develop their game a lot better due to outdoor play. "Pond hockey is good for the development of hockey skills, especially for children beginning to learn the game," Bob Emery, SUNY Plattsburgh Men's hockey coach, says. "When playing outdoors you focus more on skating and puck handling while you avoid board checking and penalties such as offsides." This may be the reason why the North Country has developed some professional hockey players such as Jesse Boulerice of the Philadelphia Flyers.

In the North Country, the experience of playing hockey outdoors is a rare chance for many college students who come from warmer climates and are used to playing indoor hockey games. Steven Cox, a sophomore at SUNY Plattsburgh who comes from Long Island, is one of those people who was ableto enjoy this pleasure. "Long Island winters have not been too kind for outdoor hockey players, but up here I can go and play whenever I want," Cox says. When asked about the difference between playing outside in the elements opposed to playing inside, Cox replies, "Having the snow hit your face as you skate is something you can obviously never experience when indoors."

Arenas and ice-rinks often provide free skate to the public, but they are often crowded. Rinks like the one at the SUNY Plattsburgh field house do provide a chance for people to play pick-up games, but only for a limited time. One of the beautiful things about outdoor hockey is that you can avoid those crowds and play the game with your friends or by yourself until your feet freeze off. "We played so long, a couple of times I thought I had frost bite," Vavre says.

"Having the snow hit your face as you skate is something you can obviously never experience when indoors"

Outdoor hockey does not always require a natural body of water to be played on thanks to hoses and shovels. Keenan recalls how he and his friends would dig a rink sized ditch, a couple of inches deep and fill it with water. "After a couple of fills and a few days over night you have yourself your own man-made hockey rink for you and your friends," he says. This form of outdoor hockey is perfect for those who are afraid of the perils of thin ice that can sometimes be dangerous when playing on a lake or pond.

Do you think indoor and outdoor hockey is the same or different?