Pond Hockey Tournament Celebrates 17th Year at Lake Winnipesaukee

The 17th annual New England Pond Hockey Classic brought hundreds of players to 26 ice rinks on Lake Winnipesaukee under blue skies on Saturday, Jan. 31. 

Outdoor pond hockey is a nostalgic activity that connects players to the sport through camaraderie, persistence, and the thrill of skating outdoors. Teams such as the StamVegas Cuties and the Massholes pour out their passions on the ice.

Emily Fluke and her team, the StamVegas Cuties from Stamford, Connecticut, and Boston, said playing outdoors is unmatched. 

“Half is just showing up and being able to feel your hands. But it's so fun. It's like back to when you were a kid playing with your family and the backyard rinks and ponds and stuff,” she said in a statement shared with New Hampshire Public Radio.

The Massholes came together as a team under the leadership of Tom Denault's father 17 years ago when the tournament began.

“This is the first year that they've actually passed it down to my brother and I,” he stated. “We invited our friends and made it our own team. It's a cool experience.”

Tournament commissioner Scott Crowder said that traditional outdoor pond hockey is subject to changing winter conditions. He pointed out that winters have been getting warmer, and during some years, the tournament has had to move to smaller ponds because Lake Winnipesaukee didn't have enough ice.

The best conditions are a stable cold snap with temperatures between 15 and 20 degrees, which are favorable for ice to form and create good playing conditions.

Crowder said he's pleased to witness players coming together to organize climate-awareness initiatives such as Save Pond Hockey. 

“For me, it's the draw of the game," he told New Hampshire Public Radio. “The ability to kind of come out here, toss your skates on, and play the game under a bluebird sky out here in the elements is really what it's all about.”