Hockey East and the Red Sox will hold a press conference Friday afternoon for what several industry sources said will be to announce a college ice hockey doubleheader at Fenway Park this coming January. The return of Frozen Fenway to the ballpark will involve the Univ. of Maine, Univ. of Massachusetts, Univ. of New Hampshire and Univ. of Vermont. The first such event was held early last year following the '10 NHL Winter Classic at Fenway Park. The doubleheader featured a Boston Univ.-Boston College men's game and a UNH-Northeastern women's contest (Eric Fisher, SportsBusiness Journal). USCHO.com's Jim Connelly cited sources as saying that Sun Life, which sponsored last year's games, "will not underwrite this season's event." Hockey East is "actively seeking a corporate partner to underwrite the event" (USCHO.com, 8/23).
TALKING ABOUT PRACTICE: AHL Providence Bruins VP/Marketing Services Kevin Boryczki said that the Stanley Cup champion Boston Bruins' first Black & Gold intrasquad scrimmage at Dunkin' Donuts Center is "sold out." In Providence, Mark Divver noted hockey sellouts at the arena, which has a "capacity of approximately 12,000 for hockey, are rare." The last hockey sellout in Providence was likely the '00 BC-North Dakota NCAA Division I National Championship Game (PROJO.com, 8/23).
