I remember one Huskies hockey game in particular. It was October 18, 2003, against Northern Michigan. Tech had jumped out to a 3-1 lead before Northern scored 5 straight to make it 6-3 with just 3 minutes to go. I remember everyone leaving the Mac because they “thought” the game was over. Poor souls; they should have stuck around for what I believe is the greatest comeback in hockey (college or pro) that I have ever seen. Within a period of 2:05, the Huskies scored 3 unanswered goals to tie the game and send it to overtime. Shortly into overtime, Colin Murphy (who scored the previous 2 goals in regulation) fired a shot at goal and miraculously, it went in; Tech won 7-6 and gave the folks who stuck around some memories they are sure not to forget!

Paul Brandes ’04

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All the games at the “D” in 1962 when the NCAA championship came to Tech—the place rocked at every home game.
Gary Tallon ’62

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Where to begin? I was a student during the first years of the Student Ice Arena and it was always packed! The arena (funded at least in part by a tuition surcharge, hence the name) opened in early 1972. Those of us who never squeezed into the Dee probably did not appreciate how luxurious the Student Ice Arena was by comparison.

Every game was a sellout or nearly so. Of course, the Tech team was very strong in those days, including winning the NCAA championship in 1975! Every game was competitive, and therefore a lot of fun for us fans. One that sticks out in my mind was a game against Denver probably in 1973 or 1974. The game was a fiercely competitive up-and-down-the-ice affair for 50 minutes without a single goal scored. Once Tech broke through, the game ended 3-0. However, the game was much closer than the score suggests.

A game against Duluth was memorable for a very different reason. Duluth had a goalie with very long hair one season. This, of course, led the packed house of Tech fans to heckle him unmercifully! At the end of the second period, he skated the length of the ice, giving Tech fans an “obscene gesture.” Needless to say, that did him in for the night… and we won the game handily!

And, of course, the Student Ice Arena was the launching point for the Tech teams that competed in the NCAA championship games in 1974, 1975, and 1976! I was fortunate enough to attend all three of those games, including our championship in St. Louis in 1975.

The Arena will always be a special place for me as it is where I developed my lifelong love of hockey.

J.B. Hoyt ’74