For two days between Christmas and New Year's Day, hockey will return to Prescott Valley.
The Arizona State Sun Devils announced Wednesday that their NCAA Division I hockey team will host the 2nd Annual Desert Hockey Classic at the Prescott Valley Events Center on Dec. 30-31. The 5,100-seat arena was the home of the Arizona Sundogs of the Central Hockey League from 2006-14.
Connecticut, Brown and St. Cloud State will also compete in the tournament. ASU will play Brown in its first tournament game on Dec. 30 at 7 p.m.
Tickets for the tournament are already on sale.
The 2016 Desert Hockey Classic will be hosted at the @PV_Event_Center.
Release: https://t.co/W09Y7tszrQ pic.twitter.com/aPH22B8hRE
— Sun Devil Hockey (@SunDevilHockey) July 20, 2016
“The thought process in going up to Prescott all started last summer when we went up there for the Sun Devil Caravan. There was a serious appetite from the alumni in Prescott to have us play a game or a series of games there,” ASU coach Greg Powers said.
“We knew our club team was going to play NAU at the Prescott Valley Event Center last year, so I wanted to gauge the success of that experience. They drew over 3,500 people for the club game, proving it was a great opportunity for us to spread our brand throughout the state. It’s a great hockey town and great hockey tradition. They have a beautiful facility and feel it is a great opportunity to expose them to Division I college hockey with the Desert Hockey Classic.”
ASU hockey made the jump to the NCAA ranks last season and hosted the first Desert Hockey Classic at Gila River Arena in Glendale, home of the Arizona Coyotes.
