Hype Around Queen City Outdoor Classic Grows as Checkers Practice Outdoors
November 28, 2023 - American Hockey League (AHL)
Charlotte Checkers News Release
The Queen City Outdoor Classic is rapidly approaching, and with every day that creeps closer to Jan. 13 the hype around the big event grows.
"We're very excited," said head coach Geordie Kinnear. "It's in front of our fans in Uptown Charlotte and it's back to the roots of a lot of the players where it's outside, under the lights in the dark. For me there's nothing better. It's something to look forward to."
For a large contingent of the roster, those roots run deep.
"I'm Canadian so I grew up on an outdoor rink," said team captain Zac Dalpe. "Behind our house my grandpa used a bulldozer to dig a pond. So that's how I grew up - Stanley Cup, Game 7, next goal wins kind of thing outside. We pulled all-nighters on New Year's Eve."
"I used to do it on a soccer field," said Kinnear. "My dad used to make the rink, we had chain link fences as the goals, the ice was terrible, there was grass popping through but I was out there every single day. It's where we all love to play."
The Checkers got a sneak peek at the setting on Monday night when they took the Truist Field ice for an up-tempo, light-hearted skate aimed at resetting after a busy few weeks.
"Timing is everything," said Kinnear. "It's important timing for our group, we just came off the West Coast, then we played four games at home. I give our group a lot of credit, we didn't get the results but we played extremely hard and emptied the tanks. Didn't score a lot of goals so that's a bit of an issue. But you get back outside and you can get your creative juices flowing a little bit, put a little creativity out here and just get back to it. I think the timing has been good for our group."
The practice was also a chance to get a feel for the outdoor game's biggest wild card factor - the fact that it's outside.
"The elements," said Kinnear of the biggest challenge playing in an outdoor game. "It's a little harder to carry the puck, there's a little bit more snow. You're facing a little bit colder weather. Your nose is leaking a little bit from being outside. But that's what makes outdoor hockey so much fun, you just got to battle the elements. It's the same playing field for both teams."
For someone who has called Charlotte home for several years across his career, this outdoor game is extra special for Dalpe.
"I've got a bunch of people coming down, like my dad who grew up watching me on an outdoor rink. So the whole thing is pretty special. And to do it in Charlotte, such a beautiful city, it's going to be fun. This is a beautiful park, we come to games in August and it's pretty cool to skate here."
The hype for the Queen City Outdoor Classic isn't just confined to the team - seated tickets for the event sold out in just a few hours, and the excitement among the fanbase is palpable.
"That's what makes Charlotte special, our group of fans," said Kinnear. "They're so into the game, so vibrant, so excited for the players. To be honest every one of our players who I've ever been here with loved playing here, loved playing in front of the fans, and they take a lot of pride in being competitive for the fans. It's a big community and we're a part of that community. We want to make the city proud and continue to do that on a regular basis. The outdoor game gives us another avenue to be able to do that."
There are still Standing Room Only tickets available for the Queen City Outdoor Classic.
American Hockey League Stories from November 28, 2023
- Phantoms Power Play Presented by Provident Bank - Lehigh Valley Phantoms
- Stastney Reassigned to Milwaukee - Milwaukee Admirals
- Millman Joins Phantoms, Gahagen to Reading - Lehigh Valley Phantoms
- Belleville Sens Announce Details for Holiday Celebration Game Presented by McDowell's Independent Grocer - Belleville Senators
- Syracuse Crunch Weekly - Vol. 30, No. 7 - Syracuse Crunch
- Syracuse Crunch to Hold 13th Annual Stanley Steemer Tired Teddy Toss December 9 - Syracuse Crunch
- Syracuse Crunch Sign Goaltender Brandon Halverson to Two-Year AHL Contract - Syracuse Crunch
- T-Birds Generate $10,650 for Lewiston, Maine - Springfield Thunderbirds
- Griffins Continue Stretch of Games against Central Division Rivals - Grand Rapids Griffins
- Superhero Chain Package Available Saturday - Charlotte Checkers
- $2 Beers and $5 Knit Caps this Weekend - Bakersfield Condors
- Bears Loan Leivermann to South Carolina - Hershey Bears
- Hype Around Queen City Outdoor Classic Grows as Checkers Practice Outdoors - Charlotte Checkers
- Checkers Recall Will Reilly, Assign Mark Senden and Cam Morrison to Everblades - Charlotte Checkers
- Jets Reassign Kuzmin to Moose - Manitoba Moose
- Blomqvist Heating up as Pens Return Home from Five-Game Road Trip - Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins
- Minnesota Wild Names Patrick Dwyer as an Assistant Coach - Iowa Wild
- Detroit Recalls Jonatan Berggren - Grand Rapids Griffins
- Rangers Recall Brodzinski and Edström from Wolf Pack, Assign Mackey - Hartford Wolf Pack
- Game #18: Tucson Roadrunners at Ontario Reign - Tucson Roadrunners
The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.
