Jan. 2, 2013
Notre Dame, Ind. – The Notre Dame hockey team will return to its roots to open the 2013 portion of the hockey schedule on Saturday, Jan. 5, when they move practice from the Compton Family Ice Arena for the Sixth Annual “Practice on the Pond” at Merrifield Park in Mishawaka, Ind. The outdoor practice will run from 4:30 to 6:00 p.m. and is free and open to the public.
This popular outdoor practice gives fans a chance to meet the Notre Dame hockey team and to get autographs from their favorite players.
WSBT’s Real Country 99.9 FM and Sunny 101.5 FM will be on hand for the event and will have hockey prizes and memorabilia that fans at Merrifield Park’s rink will have a chance to win.
Free hot chocolate will be provided to all fans in attendance. Dress warm and come watch the Irish hockey team up close and personal.
This marks Notre Dame hockey’s sixth trip to practice outdoors at Merrifield Park with the first practice coming in January of the 2007-08 season. For area fans this will be an opportunity to spend time with the Irish hockey team since they don’t play at home until January 18th versus Alaska.
The Irish are currently ranked second in the nation in the USA Today/USA Hockey Magazine poll and third in the USCHO.com rankings. For the year, Notre Dame is 14-4-0 overall and 10-1-0-0 in the CCHA, good for a first-place tie with Miami (OH) while having three games in hand on the RedHawks. The Irish, who have been on break since Dec. 15, have won six straight games and eight of their last nine games dating back to Nov. 15. They also have won eight straight games in CCHA play.
Notre Dame’s “Practice on the Pond,” will help prepare the Irish for their next contest – a Tuesday, Jan. 8 game – versus No. 1-ranked Minnesota. Game time is set for 7:07 p.m. (CT) at Mariucci Arena in Minneapolis, Minn.