Attending a Penn State Men’s Hockey Game at Pegula Ice Arena
One of our family’s favorite local activities in State College is attending Penn State Men’s Hockey games at the Pegula Ice Arena. Mainly funded by Terry Pegula (owner of the Buffalo Sabres and the Buffalo Bills), the “Peg” seats roughly 6,000 enthusiastic fans – including the 1000+ standing students (also known as the ROAR ZONE). The atmosphere within the arena is electric, boasting sell-out crowds many nights throughout the season.
Our Experience:
Pre-game: We *try* to arrive early (but everyone knows that isn’t always possible with 2 toddlers!!), to watch pre-game warm ups. Out girls enjoy taking laps around the arena, sticking their noses against the glass and taunting the opposing team a bit while they warm up. We grab dinner in the arena on occasion – there is a Subway and Auntie Anne’s Pretzels with a small restaurant seating area located toward the rear of the building. They even have high chairs for the smallest hockey fans!
The Game Experience: Penn State Men’s Hockey has been climbing the ranks among the top college hockey teams in Division I, which makes for some great hockey games! Being a small arena, there isn’t a bad seat in the house. Our season tickets are located in Section 108, just to the left of the ROAR ZONE. We love these seats for several reasons: the home team attacks twice on this goal, its close proximity to the students and the Penn State Hockey Band. The students are highly involved and are great in leading the arena in chants that often heckle the opposing team. If you are easily offended by hearing the term “SUCKS”, then these seats or possibly hockey in general are not for you. The students frequently taunt the goal tender by first name with repeated “(insert name here) SUCKS!”, and their own creative colorful version of the song “Hey Baby”. The Zamboni machines also enter/exit the rink near our corner which our kids are typically fascinated by.
Our girls love that they can see the Nittany Lion, Cheerleaders and the Blue Band up close and personal and even have regular run-ins and photo ops!
Collegiate Hockey is similar to NHL, consisting of three 20 minute periods with a 15 minute “intermission” in between. Penn State does a great job of keeping the crowd entertained during breaks.
Post-Game: Similar to Penn State Football, the hockey team gathers in front of the student section for the singing of the Alma mater after the conclusion of the game – regardless of the outcome.
Parking: Parking for Penn State Men’s Hockey is $5 for General Parking located in the Bryce Jordan Center lots across the street from the Pegula Ice Arena. Tip: To avoid traffic (and the parking fee), we park in the lot located off of Hastings Road adjacent to Nittany Apartments. It is available for free public parking on weekdays after 6pm and on weekends. It is about the same walking distance as the Bryce Jordan Center Lots and you don’t even have to cross over University Drive!
Bag and Stroller Policy: No backpacks permitted – all other bags will be searched upon entrance to the arena. Babies may be brought into Athletic Venues in a soft baby carrier or a sling and all ticketing standards apply (meaning they will need a ticket for entry regardless of age). Rigid frame baby and toddler carriers, as well as strollers, are permitted at Pegula Ice arena in the appropriate standing room only areas. If you have chairback seats, strollers and/or carriers must be left in the entry or hallway.
Final Thoughts: We LOVE attending PSU Men’s Hockey games! It is a great family activity at a considerably lower price point than Penn State Football games with ticket prices starting at $15 each. Games are lively, interactive and can make for a great night out in Happy Valley!
Suz on the move 