Boston University hockey kicked off Saturday night, but instead of the traditional Midnight Mania, hockey fans were treated to the somewhat watered-down 6 p.m. Hockey Mania.
Despite the earlier start time, upperclassmen clad in scarlet and white jerseys and freshmen full of curiosity waited outside Agganis Arena well past when the doors were scheduled to open, eager for a taste of hockey.
While most fans were excited about the start of the 2005-06 hockey season, there was definitely a “see how it goes” attitude toward the new kickoff format.
“I am more than stoked. It’s the first chance to see our boys, I couldn’t be more excited,” said freshman Asha Michener of his first Mania experience. “I am so disappointed it was not at midnight but I’m still looking forward to the free stuff and the frenzied crowd.”
Longtime hockey coach Jack Parker spoke directly to the fans, reiterating how important student support is to the team’s success.
Some fans, however, found the time change to be the only reason they came to the event.
“Six is more convenient than midnight. We decided to drop by after the Red Sox game, it’s a good idea,” said Bill and Frannie Macone, who have two sons at BU. “More students should come now, and they can eat for free and party afterwards.”
Many Mania veterans said they preferred the student-geared midnight time, but were excited for the new Hockey Mania nonetheless. And the free food didn’t hurt, either.
Though the new time was partially the result of an NCAA rule change, much of the Terrier faithful disagreed with the change.
“I just think it’s stupid,” said sophomore Vanessa LoVerme. “More students would have come if it were at midnight, but this time we only came because Agganis was two blocks away from where I live. If I lived on the other side of campus I never would have come.”
The biggest disappointment of the night came from the drastic lack of fans attracted to the 6,300-seat arena, with most of the crowd consisting of die-hard Dog Pound veterans and a few enthusiastic freshmen. But the lack of students – Section 118 wasn’t full, and only handfuls scattered through the rest of the arena – made for a dead atmosphere, one that even the Dog Pound couldn’t remedy.
Occasionally, there was only silence in the arena, as the crowd waited for whatever contest was up next, or simply watched the contest. Fans could hear the gates of the benches opening and closing.
“Midnight Madness was just so much more unique to BU,” said sophomore Aysu Grodowski. “I only came tonight for love of the hockey team.”
Feelings among students during and after the event were mixed.
“It was a good time for us to get an idea of a promising young team,” said freshman Nick Gagalis.
The most optimistic students spoke mostly about their excitement for the start of the hockey season and not the new format, which many were indifferent to – at best.
“The freshmen look good and it looks to be an exciting team,” said junior Chris Pasquale.
Another problem with the new Hockey Mania was the absence of the BU pep band, which was at a competition in Allentown, Penn.
“The atmosphere would have been better at midnight with a band,” Pasquale said, “but there aren’t many windows inside the arena, so you didn’t notice the time difference once it all started.”
With as much enthusiasm that came through in Elmore’s speech to the fans – he even participated in a shooting accuracy contest, and won – many of them still left unsatisfied.
But the new arena and the free food were big hits among students.
“I really liked it in the new arena,” said graduate student Rob Doody. “There were better theatrics and having the big screen was good for replays and video montages. I don’t have any big complaints, it was just nice to see our team and get some free food.”
But in the end, a great deal of fans were disappointed, to say the least.
“I was really excited before, but now I feel like I’ve been shot with a horse tranquilizer,” said freshman Craig Hinkle. “That was just really boring.”