Fans worked into a frenzy at dramatic 2OT Ice Wolves playoff game
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Hockey in the desert is alive and well.
On Tuesday evening, the Outpost Ice Arenas was filled to the brim with many different sweaters in colors ranging from turquoise to black to white and even green all emblazoned with the distinctive red and gold wolf head logo of the New Mexico Ice Wolves of the North American Hockey League.
In the South Division semifinals of the Robertson Cup playoffs late Tuesday night, New Mexico stayed alive with a thrilling 4-3 double overtime win over the Lone Star Brahmas.
Rasmus Leijonhielm scored the game winner with 8:24 in the second overtime, forcing another home game Wednesday night in the Outpost at 6:30 p.m. The Brahmas lead the best of five series 2-1.
In their sixth season in the junior hockey league designed to help players earn college scholarships, the Ice Wolves have drawn a rabid following.
鈥淭hey鈥檙e so much fun,鈥� said Angela Sauers, whose family got involved with the team in the first season. 鈥淚t鈥檚 family-oriented. There鈥檚 so much for them to do. They have the sides open so our kids right now are skating on the sides. The can watch from there. There鈥檚 so many interactive things they can do. They make it such a fun, family-friendly game.鈥�
And playoff hockey is notorious for its intensity as was evidenced by the occasional fights and frequent post-whistle scrums that had fans on their feet and kept the officials busy keeping things under control.
One fan waved a home poster that read: 鈥淏rahma drama,鈥� each time Lone Star players confronted an Ice Wolves players.
鈥淚 think it鈥檚 a lot more enjoyable,鈥� said 14-year-old Logan Tafoya of the playoff vibe. 鈥淭here鈥檚 a lot more action, You鈥檙e more likely to see things happen. The stand are a lot fuller. Just overall, I enjoy it a lot more. I like how, even though it is a smaller arena, the fans are really lively and the game are really enjoyable.鈥�
That鈥檚 the way Sauers sees it, as well
鈥淭here鈥檚 nothing like playoffs,鈥� she said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 so much fun. You take a sport that鈥檚 already so exciting and you turn it up three notches. It鈥檚 physical. It鈥檚 gritty. There鈥檚 fights. There鈥檚 the skill level. You think these kids are so skilled, and then you see them in the playoffs and it鈥檚 just, where do this come from? It鈥檚 just amazing.鈥�
When Ryan Seelinger scored with seven minutes remaining in the third period to put New Mexico up 3-1, the fans got their chance to get involved, filling the ice with gray, squishy wolves that has been an Ice Wolves tradition on such occasions.
鈥淭hey鈥檙e gritty, they鈥檙e exciting. They鈥檙e fun,鈥� said Nicole Bazzano, who has been hockey fan her whole life, but started attending Ice Wolves games last season after billeting several of the players. Owner Stan Hubbard 鈥渄oes a really good job at organizing the games and bringing fans in. When it comes to scoring, you have the wolves going on the ice. The music. You have the entertainment in between period. He does a really good job of organizing all of that. And they鈥檙e just really fun games to watch, Good hockey, really action packed.鈥�
Both Bazzano described herself as a prototypical hockey fan.
鈥淚鈥檓 a rowdy fan. I鈥檝e been a hockey fan all my life. I get loud. I鈥檓 rowdy,鈥� Bazzano said. 鈥淚 like the fights. I like hits. I like the goals that are being scored. So, I鈥檓 loud and rowdy.鈥�
For Sauers, whose hockey journey started 15 years ago when her daughter wanted to start playing, being a hockey fan is all encompassing.
鈥淎s a fan, I鈥檝e the loud, banging-on-the-glass, screaming, cheering hockey mom fan for so long, so we get loud and carry it to the Ice Wolves games, also.鈥�
But Bazzano said the best part of the Ice Wolves experience actually happens off the ice.
鈥淗onestly, getting to know the players,鈥� she said. 鈥淚 really enjoy (the players) who live with us. They bring the other players to our house. Getting to know them, getting to know their families. It鈥檚 a really great experience meeting all these new people and they鈥檙e all really good guys. So that鈥檚 been my favorite.鈥�
