Home-ice advantage fuels roaring crowds. Discover the intense atmospheres and passionate student sections that make these three college hockey arenas a formidable challenge for visiting teams.
Over time, conferences are ditching neutral-site postseason games to bring the true potential of playoff energy inside of home venues. While those playoff games are in progress, let’s talk about the toughest places to play.
Credit: Michigan Athletics3. Yost Ice Arena (Michigan)
The state of Michigan brings clearly exciting energy and success to college hockey, with the Broncos of Western Michigan winning the national championship this past year, and now the current number one spot being held by the Wolverines of Michigan. That is in big part due to Yost Ice Arena.
Another arena led by a booming student section, the Wolverines hold a 13-3-1 home record on the season. Yost Ice Arena used to hold 8,100 back in 1991, but has actually sized down to 5,800, with plenty of reservations. The crowd's pop from massive Michigan goals remains lethal.
Credit: Western Michigan Athletics2. Lawson Ice Arena (Western Michigan)
You might be asking, why would you include an arena that doesn’t even hold 4,000? Well, that is truly a portion of what makes this Kalamazoo venue so deadly.
Players have mentioned in the past how a small, caved-in arena can have noise really bounce off the walls. You see it especially in high school hockey.
The Lawson Lunatics have a wide student section that stretches across the penalty box side of the arena, usually with nearly 2,000 students (over half the capacity) given a prime view for hockey.
During the national championship run, Western Michigan was 16-2-1 at home. We’ll let that stat speak for itself.
Credit: Ralph Engelstad Arena 1. Ralph Engelstad Arena (North Dakota)
It is usually the toughest place to play every year, considering its NHL-caliber archetypes in practically everything.
It is not only a distinguished hockey venue to visit, but it is also large compared to many others (even the other two on this list), holding 11,643 total.
Since mid-November, North Dakota has been 11-2-1 at “The Ralph”, with consistent numbers pouring in night after night.
Grand Forks, North Dakota, is in the process of hosting Omaha in the NCHC Quarterfinals, and if the NCHC favorite is to make it to host the NCHC Championship, there is no question this venue will be rocking.