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The University of Saskatchewan hockey programs are set to unleash a new era of playoff hockey on Friday for the first post-season games at the new Merlis Belsher Place.
Just like the regular season opener, the women’s team will be the first to christen the ice with playoff hockey as they welcome the Mount Royal Cougars for a best-of-three Canada West quarterfinal series.
This time last year, the Huskies were preparing for playoff hockey from their dressing room inside a retrofitted ATCO trailer attached to Rutherford Rink.
“Finally we have a showcase facility to have our amazing athletes do their thing,” Chief Athletics Officer Shawn Burt said of the Huskies’ new home.
“Rutherford was a great, old barn and it’s got a special place in our hearts, but the fact of the matter is that it was well past its best before date.”
After years of fundraising and planning, Burt and the rest of the athletics department enjoyed a relatively stress free opening season at Merlis Belsher Place.
“Merlis Belsher Place is a beautiful facility. There’s nothing like it in all of U Sports, and I couldn’t be happier for the women to perform on this platform.”
Sure, there was some growing pains in running a new arena, but attendance roughly doubled at Merlis Belsher Place. One easy sign showing a change in the fan experience at Merlis Belsher Place.
The women’s team had trouble getting 150 fans for games at Rutherford Place. This season, Burt said they averaged over 300 people, with more than 500 expected for this weekend’s playoff games.
When the men’s hockey team hosts the semi-finals next weekend, over 2,000 people are expected to pack into Merlis Belsher Place for the matchup.
“There’s nothing more exciting than playoff hockey,” Burt said. “With playoff sports in general, things just elevate to the next level.”
Aside from a video board, beer sales, a student section and an expanded concession, the upgraded fan experience at Merlis Belsher Place has been largely driven by the supporters.
“This arena has been nothing short of incredible, and I’ve always said it’s a facility that’s in keeping with the level that our athletes perform at,” Burt said.
While the first season at the new arena will most likely be looked at as a huge success, Burt said there’s still plenty to look forward to as the playoffs get under way.
“Now we’re just excited to crank it up a notch for the playoffs.”