Atlantic Hockey Heads To FleetCenter

January 10, 2005

Atlantic Hockey Heads To FleetCenter
New England's Top Venue To Showcase League Doubleheader Feb. 12

Atlantic Hockey is charting a course for the FleetCenter. On Saturday, February 12, New England’s premiere hockey venue will open its doors to players and fans of four Atlantic Hockey members for an afternoon of league action. Quinnipiac will take on Holy Cross in the first game of the day at 5:00 p.m., and will be followed at 8:00 p.m. by Bentley facing off against Connecticut.

“The chance to compete on the ice of the FleetCenter is a great opportunity for the four teams participating to showcase their programs to the region, a prospect Atlantic Hockey could not pass up,” commented Atlantic Hockey Commissioner Bob DeGregorio on the decision to move the conference contests to the FleetCenter. “We are excited to have this opportunity for the teams of Atlantic Hockey, and I personally thank everyone involved in the process that helped to make it possible for the four teams.”

The idea for Atlantic Hockey to play some of its conference games at the FleetCenter arose in early December, when the two organizations first conversed regarding the concept. The plan quickly gained support from the four member institutions involved, and plans for the event were finalized late last week. Located in Downtown Boston, the FleetCenter played host to the 1998 and 2004 NCAA Men’s Frozen Four, and is home to the NHL’s Boston Bruins.

In order to accommodate playing the two games at the FleetCenter, a few scheduling changes had to be made for some of the members of Atlantic Hockey. Holy Cross has changed its home game against Quinnipiac on January 21 to February 12 at the FleetCenter. The Crusaders will move their road contest at Sacred Heart from February 12 to Friday, February 18. Sacred Heart will swap its matchup at home against American International from February 18 to Saturday, February 12. AIC will also move its contest against Quinnipiac on February 12 to a date to be determined later. Bentley and Connecticut have moved their matchup from Storrs to the FleetCenter on February 12.

Tickets for the event are $10 and can be purchased at the FleetCenter box office, via Ticketmaster by phone at (617) 931-2000 or by web at www.ticketmaster.com, the Atlantic Hockey offices, or from any of the four institutions competing. Tickets are available for $5 for students only at each of the four competing institutions. Groups of 15 or more people can receive the same rate of $5 when they purchase their tickets via phone at (617) 624-BEAR (2327).

The Atlantic Hockey Association arose when the nine current members joined together on June 30, 2003, to found a new Division-I men’s ice hockey conference. The league includes American International College, Army, Bentley College, Canisius College, the University of Connecticut, the College of the Holy Cross, Mercyhurst College, Quinnipiac University, and Sacred Heart University.