Tale of the tee: Hockey Night in Hershey
Growing up in Maine, I had my home-state hockey teams to root for. First it was the Maine Nordiques of the old North American Hockey League, which inspired the movie “Slap Shot.” Then it was the Maine Mariners of the American Hockey League, which began as a farm team of the Philadelphia Flyers.
While the Mariners were an expansion team in 1977, the AHL’s Hershey Bears already were nearly four decades into their rich history. I was admiring enough that I ordered a tee (of course!) from the team using my paper route money; it featured the classic skating bear logo. I wore the heck out of that shirt.
Little could I have known that life would one day bring me to Pennsylvania, where in York I would meet my future wife, Sara, a Hershey native.
I’ve been a Hershey resident for more than 20 years now. It’s where we raised our children and, in October 2017, started Stay Apparel Co. Within a year, we had introduced our Hockey Night in Hershey Tee. It has been a staple in our lineup ever since.
The design currently is available in short-sleeve and long-sleeve versions as well as on a felt pennant and a felt banner.
‘The Old Barn’ and Giant Center
Of course, the design is a nod to the Bears, proud possessors of a record 11 Calder Cup championships and the closest operation to the National Hockey League in minor pro hockey.
But Hershey is a hub for hockey at all levels, starting with the Junior Bears youth program. Our son, Jack, played for the house teams for several winters.
What a treat it was for him (and his parents) to have practices and games at historic Hersheypark Arena, aka the Old Barn, which celebrated its 85th birthday in 2021, and at the newer Giant Center.
Hersheypark Arena is home ice for the Lebanon Valley College’s men’s and women’s Division III teams and the first-year Hershey Cubs, a junior club (ages 16 to 20) owned by a group that includes former Bears (and current Vancouver Canucks) head coach Bruce Boudreau.
Hershey’s long history with hockey will continue to evolve in 2022. A startup league called 3ICE plans to launch this summer with six teams on a nine-week tour of the United States and Canada.
One of the founders is E.J. Johnston, a Penn State grad and son of former Pittsburgh Penguins coach Eddie Johnston. The league commissioner is Craig Patrick, a former Hershey Bear who was assistant coach of the 1980 Miracle on Ice hockey team and won two Stanley Cups as general manager of the Penguins.
Each 3ICE team will comprise six skaters and one goalie and will be coached by a member of the Hockey Hall of Fame. Each night will feature six games in what promises to be a fast-paced three-on-three format.
The fourth stop is July 9 at Giant Center.
Yup, a summer Hockey Night in Hershey.