Ice Is Nice: Meet the Bridgeport Sound Tigers
By Kate Lynch, October 2016
When the seasons change with a collective downshift from outdoor activities to indoor fun, what are you and your kids planning? If you are seeking fresh activities for the upcoming cold months, look no further than the Webster Bank Arena and the local hockey flavor, the Bridgeport Sound Tigers.
Say what? Hockey? Isn’t that the sport where the players throw their gloves off onto the ice, and fight like grizzly bears while the refs stand around watching? Not quite, it turns out! Speaking from experience, YES, it is a family-friendly affair. In fact, the organization caters to families! Take it from me, wife and mother of hockey fans.
Certainly, this locale draws youth hockey players to watch their icons skate. Then, there are bona fide adult hockey fans who flock to the arena for a local fix. For the rest of us lay people, the Sound Tigers open the door to a new adventure. The organization is a professional AHL (American Hockey League) team and farm team for the NHL’s NY Islanders. The Islanders own the franchise and have successfully drawn both veteran and neophyte crowds to watch hockey since the teams’ inception in 2001.
Season ticket holders and Bridgeport Sound Tiger Booster Club members, Andy and Martha Gardecki have three boys who have grown up attending games. Andy says, “...we enjoy going to the Sound Tigers as a family because there are things to do for all ages. I love hockey and prefer to watch the games. My wife enjoys the social side of seeing friends. Our oldest son is a super-fan, moving from section to section during the games.”
What to expect:
For starters, get ready to dance in your chair. A DJ in a booth, unseen, above the ice, plays music to pump up the crowd. Next, there is a jumbotron. Keep an eye on it. You and your kids are likely to make it on screen, as a deft cameraman and emcee with a microphone make their way through the stands to engage the fans in contests and giveaways. The team mascot, Storm, a furry, blue tiger, skates on ice between periods, helping the emcee throw t-shirts to the screaming fans. There goes that huge Zamboni that magically resurfaces the ice back into a glossy surface for the next period. Now with the clock running again, Storm trades skates for sneakers and dashes in and amongst the seated fans, high fiving and hugging any takers. It is non-stop action, coupled with arena food and drink: hot dogs, nachos, chicken fingers, french fries, ice cream sundaes, cotton candy, soft pretzels ... and maybe a tummy ache. Try to get seats in Section 111 or 112 and let your kids high five the players as they come on and off the ice.
And then there’s the hockey! Yes, lest we forget that these professional athletes can be called up at a moment’s notice to play NHL games. Conversely, NHL players may be temporarily bumped down to play for the Sound Tigers. The skating is fast, and the puck even faster. Try to keep your eye on it and get ready to cheer when the buzzer blares and the next goal is scored.