Catch the Excitement with 2 Local Oklahoma City Hockey Teams

Football season is underway, but why not add another exciting sport to your winter activities? Hockey is developing a growing fan base, so check out these great teams near our Springs at May Lakes and Springs at Memorial luxury apartment communities.

Oklahoma Sooners

OU is a national powerhouse in football, and their hockey team is making strides toward creating their own identity.

• OU's hockey team really is the new kid on the block. The football team dates back more than 100 years, while the hockey team made its debut in 2003.
• Unlike football, hockey at OU is a club sport, meaning it's not officially affiliated with the athletic department and not regulated by the NCAA or NAIA.
• The Sooners compete in the Western Collegiate Hockey League (WCHL), which is a Division I league of the American Collegiate Hockey Association (ACHA). Other members include Arizona, Arizona State, Central Oklahoma, Colorado and Colorado State.
• While the OU hockey team provides a fan experience similar to that of a NCAA Division I team, they don't offer scholarships and rely on donations and fundraisers to provide the bulk of their financing.
• Head coach and general manager Peter Arvanitis has successfully recruited players from across the United States and Canada. The team has regularly placed in the top 10, reaching #2 in the nation in 2013.
• Home games are played at Blazers Ice Centre. Tickets are $5 for general admission and $10 for reserved seating.

Oklahoma City Jr. Blazers

The Blazers share home ice with the Sooners, but they've made a name all for themselves.

• The Blazers compete in the Western States Hockey League (WSHL), a Tier-II junior ice hockey league sanctioned by the Amateur Athletic Union (AAU).
• While the WSHL has been in operation since 1993, the Blazers joined the league as an expansion team in 2014. Their debut game on October 25 drew a league-record attendance as the Blazers defeated the Dallas Snipers by a score of 8-3.
• The WSHL's championship trophy is named after league founder Dr. Don Thorne. Since joining the league, the Blazers have qualified for the Thorne Cup playoffs each year and won the Midwest Division title in the 2015-2016 season.
• Home games are played at Blazers Ice Centre. Tickets are $10 for general admission bleacher seating and $15-$20 for reserved seating.

Have you ever attended a Sooners or Blazers hockey game? Let us know in the comments!