Sports

Extreme Weather Creates Ice Concerns As Penn State Plays Outdoor Hockey Game In Freezing Cold

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Penn State Outdoor Hockey Beaver Stadium Ice Conditions Freezing Temperature Crack
iStockphoto / © Joe Camporeale-Imagn Images

Penn State is all set to play the first-ever college hockey games at Beaver Stadium this weekend. However, the weather in State College over the next 48-72 hours creates legitimate cause for concern when it comes to the conditions of the ice as extreme temperatures drop well below freezing.

Will the playing surface be able to withstand all of the wear and tear?

While this is not the first college hockey game to be played outdoors, there is extreme arctic air on its way to Happy Valley. That could be a problem for a few reasons.

Penn State is scheduled to play two outdoor hockey games.

The quadruple-header will begin at 1:00 p.m. on Friday when the Penn State women’s ice hockey team plays Robert Morris at Beaver Stadium. The men’s team will play Michigan State at the indoor arena just a few hours later.

And then it flips.

The men’s team will play Michigan State at Beaver Stadium during the day on Saturday. The women’s team will play Robert Morris at the indoor arena just a few hours later.

Although this is by no means the first-ever outdoor game in college hockey history, it is the first-ever outdoor hockey game at Penn State. It is also a huge game against the No. 2 team in the country!

The setup at Beaver Stadium is awesome. The grounds crew worked tirelessly throughout the week to get the rink ready for play.

Not even a snowstorm could stop the work from getting done! Students dug out the stadium after a blizzard hit Happy Valley earlier this week.

The rink officially opened for public skating on Wednesday.

A palpable buzz is starting to build for the game as puck-drop nears closer. You cannot ask for a more picturesque backdrop.

There is only one problem…

The weather could wreak havoc on the ice as temperatures drop below freezing.

Penn State got to practice on the ice at Beaver Stadium for the first time on Wednesday afternoon. The rink looked immaculate. Snow had been removed. Everything was ready to go.

Unfortunately, the ice started to deteriorate after the sun eventually dipped below the horizon.

That could be a problem on Friday and Saturday. The high on Friday, around 1:00 p.m. when the women take the ice, will hover around 16º Fahrenheit. The high on Saturday, around 1:00 p.m. when the men take the ice, will also hover around 16º Fahrenheit. Brr!

Not only is the cold having a direct impact on surprisingly low ticket sales thus far, it could have an impact on the playing surface. There are few main concerns:

  • Ice loses its flexibility when it gets too cold. It becomes too hard and too brittle, which can cause the ice to chip and crack under skates instead of shaving smoothly. It could feel rough under the skate. Untreated cracks could be dangerous.
  • Flooding is a key part to ice maintenance. If the water freezes too fast, the ice will not level out— even with a Zamboni. You might get ripples or bubbles.
  • Snow can freeze on top of ice as a grainy crust. Fortunately, snow is not really in the forecast.
  • Colder ice is harder ice. Colder muscles are stiffer muscles. Risk of injury increases.

The start times of these games will help to minimize the ice damage. The sun will be out (hopefully) and temperatures will be above zero. That also leaves plenty of time for maintenance.

Still, the extreme cold — especially overnight — could have a direct impact on the ice. We’ll see.