NHL Set to Return to Wichita on September 23
February 28, 2023 - ECHL (ECHL)
Wichita Thunder News Release
WICHITA, Kan. - ProHoops Sports & Events announced today that Wichita will once again be host to a NHL Preseason Game on September 23, 2023. The Arizona Coyotes and St. Louis Blues will face off at INTRUST Bank Arena for the second year in a row.
"We're very excited to bring this event back to the people of Wichita," said Linda Hargrove, President of ProHoops Sports & Events. "The City of Wichita showed up last year and provided a great atmosphere for these teams. We expect an even bigger turnout this year."
Last year in the first-ever NHL game to be played in the city of Wichita, the St. Louis Blues defeated the Arizona Coyotes, 5-4, in front of over 8,500 at INTRUST Bank Arena.
Tickets for the ProHoops Sports & Events "ICT Ice Classic" featuring the Arizona Coyotes and St. Louis Blues will go on sale to the general public on Friday, March 3 at 10 a.m. Tickets can be purchased online at selectaseat.com, by phone at 855-755-SEAT (7328) or in person at the Select-A-Seat Box Office at INTRUST Bank Arena.
For access to an exclusive presale opportunity on Thursday, March 2, fans can sign-up to receive INTRUST Bank Arena emails at intrustbankarena.com. Tickets for the "ICT Ice Classic" will be available starting at less than $10.
The Arizona Coyotes relocated to Phoenix from Winnipeg in 1996. The Coyotes are owned by Chairman and Governor Alex Meruelo, and are led by General Manager Bill Armstrong, Head Coach André Tourigny, and 24-year-old forward Clayton Keller, who represented the Coyotes at the 2023 NHL All-Star Game. The Coyotes play in the Central Division of the Western Conference with rivals, the St. Louis Blues.
"We're very excited to return to Wichita to take on the Blues," said Armstrong. "Wichita is a great hockey market with tremendous fans, and we look forward to bringing NHL hockey back to INTRUST Bank Arena in September."
The St. Louis Blues were founded in 1967. The Blues are led by Chairman Tom Stillman and an all-local ownership group, as well as General Manager Doug Armstrong and Head Coach Craig Berube. The Blues are 10-time division champions and have made four trips to the Stanley Cup Final, including 2019 when they beat the Boston Bruins in seven games.
INTRUST Bank Arena opened its doors in January of 2010 and is the home of the Wichita Thunder of the ECHL. In 2020, Wichita and INTRUST Bank Arena were selected as the host for the 2020 ECHL All-Star Classic for the first-time in venue history. The NHL Preseason Game on September 24, 2022 marked the first-ever NHL game played at INTRUST Bank Arena, as well as in the city of Wichita.
"We're committed to attracting world-class entertainment to Wichita and are thrilled to be hosting our second NHL Preseason Game at INTRUST Bank Arena," commented A.J. Boleski, General Manager of INTRUST Bank Arena. "Our community showed up in full force to support this game in 2022 and that is the reason it is returning."
As was the case last year, the preseason game will end with a shootout no matter the final score. Labeled as the most exciting play in hockey, each team will have 3 opportunities at a shootout attempt until a team is deemed the winner.
"The shootout added an exciting element to the end of the game that the crowd loved," said Hargrove. "We want to continue to make this an exciting event for the people in attendance and one they look can look forward to each year."
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