Hockey in the Shadow of Gillette Stadium

Patriot Place will once again offer recreational hockey players the chance to compete in a one-of-a-kind venue: an outdoor rink in the shadow of Gillette Stadium. Winter Skate at Patriot Place presented by Harvard Pilgrim Health Care will host its second annual Pond Hockey Tournament from Monday, Jan. 23 to Sunday, Jan. 29. The popular pond hockey format features open air, open ice and open goals.

“We are looking to expand on last year’s success,” said Patriot Place General Manager Brian Earley. “The tournament is modeled after traditional Canadian pond hockey tournaments. The games are free-flowing and fast-moving, with no checking and no goalies, but there are boards, so the goals pile up quickly. It’s exciting for both the participants and the spectators.”

The four-on-four, no-checking tournament will consist of up to 32 teams in a double-elimination format. Each team is guaranteed to play at least three games over the week-long event, culminating with a championship game on Sunday, Jan. 29. All games will be played on Winter Skate’s 60-by-140-foot, professionally-maintained ice surface. The weekday games will take place under lights. Each game is 30 minutes in length and consists of two 15-minute periods. Teams can have as many as eight players on their roster.

The entry fee is $300 per team. Rules and registration info are available at http://www.patriot-place.com/pondhockey.aspx.