Dan Craig, who was the NHL Facilities Operations Manager for 23 years and in charge of the ice for more than 30 NHL outdoor games, is overseeing the ponds for the Islanders. The Isles Pond will be constructed using synthetic technology created by Global Synthetic Ice, ensuring season-long accessibility.
To learn more about upcoming pond hockey tournaments, public skating sessions, and private ice rentals, please visit TheParkatUBSArena.com.
“The Islanders are proud to be part of this season’s outdoor Stadium Series game and look forward to expanding on this great platform by bringing pond hockey to our backyard,” said Islanders Executive Vice President, Nick Pizzutello. “We are excited to give all Islanders fans the opportunity to bring our deep-rooted pregame traditions to UBS Arena.”
“We are proud to align ourselves with community health and wellness activities at Belmont Park,” said Michael Dowling, president and CEO of Northwell. “A person’s community can have a major impact on their health and well-being and The Park at UBS Arena allows us to reinforce our commitment to serving our community by providing a space for children and adults to be active and healthy.”
“So many of us players got our start playing pond hockey,” said Islanders great Pat LaFontaine, who will join the Opening Day festivities on Dec. 27 prior to the Islanders game against the Pittsburgh Penguins. “This is the purest form of the sport and it’s great that this experience is coming to The Park at UBS Arena.”
“Community events and activities will play a central role at the new Belmont Park,” said David O’Rourke, NYRA President & CEO. “This partnership between NYRA and the New York Islanders will advance that mission by providing our neighbors with easy and affordable access to ice skating and hockey in the Belmont Park backyard. We’re excited to help grow this new initiative and look forward to welcoming kids and families to The Park later this month.”
“It’s exciting to see the outdoor rinks the Islanders are building,” said Pat Kelleher, executive director of USA Hockey. “There’s nothing quite like playing hockey outside and the two rinks will not only provide a great opportunity for players of all ages to create lasting memories, but also to introduce new families to hockey. The Islanders continue to be great partners with USA Hockey in efforts to showcase and grow our game and this is a unique initiative that will no doubt have a positive impact.”
For Islanders home games, The Park will offer fans a special pregame experience. Similar to College Gameday, MSG Networks’ Islanders Pregame Show will broadcast live with host Shannon Hogan and analyst Thomas Hickey. The team will also host watch parties for select road games so fans can come out and cheer.
“The Park at UBS Arena will be an amazing experience for Islanders fans and we are excited to showcase it to viewers watching our coverage on MSG Networks,” said Kevin Marotta, senior vice president content and marketing for MSG Networks. “It will also be a great opportunity for MSG Networks and the Islanders to interact with fans and advertising partners this winter.”
