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Dispatch

2/11/06

COLLEGE HOCKEY
Ohio State eager to play on Lambeau’s frozen tundra

Saturday, February 11, 2006

Scott Priestle
THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH

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GREEN BAY, Wis. — Cold mornings and hockey are a way of life in northwest British Columbia. Rod Pelley could not combine the two as often as he would have liked while growing up in the tiny town of Kitimat, but he did so often enough to form a few lasting memories.
He recalled a pristine winter day at age 15, when his friend’s father invited Pelley’s team to skate on a lake near the family’s cabin. They made it an all day event.
"You could see like 3 feet down, that’s how clear the ice was," Pelley said. "I lugged my hockey net out there — I had a real hockey net with real hockey mesh on it — and we played a real game. It was awesome. I remember shooting the puck and having to chase it for half a kilometer."
The ice will not be as clear or as open today when Pelley and his Ohio State teammates face Wisconsin in the Frozen Tundra Hockey Classic, but it should be a unique opportunity to recall fond memories and create new ones.
The teams will play on a temporary rink set up on Lambeau Field, home of the NFL’s Green Bay Packers. It will be the third major outdoor game in recent years — Michigan and Michigan State played in Spartan Stadium in October 2001, and the Edmonton Oilers and Montreal Canadiens played in Edmonton’s Commonwealth Stadium in November 2003. It also will be the first hockey game ever played in Lambeau Field.
"I think in 20 years we’re going to look back and think, wow, we got to play on Lambeau Field," Ohio State captain Nate Guenin said. "Just the history of it — you think of all the football players who played on this field. To be able to skate on it, it’s an honor."
There will be more at stake than memories, particularly for the Buckeyes. A win over the Badgers, who are ranked fourth or fifth in the major polls, will help significantly in the power rankings. The Buckeyes are on the bubble for the 16-team NCAA Tournament.
"We can’t get overcome by the atmosphere," Pelley said. "We have to be in a state where we can perform."
To aid in that process, players and coaches from both teams took a tour of the stadium yesterday and practiced on the rink. Guenin said it was a chance "to get the oohs and aahs out of the way," and he did not anticipate a problem today.
"At game time, as an athlete, your competitive drive sets in," he said. "And when it comes down to it, the puck doesn’t care if you’re in Lambeau Field or the Schottenstein Center or the Kohl Center."
Even though the mental focus might remain the same as in a normal game, the conditions change.
The temperature was in the upper 20s yesterday with a few snowflakes, and the forecast for today is similar. Players on both teams wore cold-weather gear under their uniforms, which for many is an adjustment. "It feels kind of bulky," Pelley said. Muscles also tighten quicker in the cold weather, making it imperative that players stretch if they are on the bench for an extended period.
Ohio State winger Dan Knapp said the ice was "a little rough" by the time both teams finished practice. And Wisconsin forward Adam Burish said the unique backdrop made it difficult at times to spot the puck in the air.
But even those inconveniences were not enough to dampen the mood. A few minutes after Ohio State’s practice ended, coach John Markell had to shoo the final players off the ice. They did not want to leave.
"It’s like being back on the pond. It’s awesome," Knapp said. "I live on a lake back home (in Rochester, Mich.) and every winter when I go back for Christmas break, I go out there with my cousins and we play on the lake. It’s just so much fun playing outside."
spriestle@dispatch.com