The rink is not too impressive.
A layer of grime covers the red and blue bleachers. The zamboni's engine clanks and its ill-greased gears squeak as it repairs the ice during intermission. Surely the arena's off-white concrete walls are not too aesthetically pleasing.
The gritty Class of 1923 Rink is home to Penn's club hockey team, and there is no place more fitting for Penn's grittiest team.
Ice hockey at Penn differs greatly from Penn's other major sports, primarily because it is a club sport. Whereas varsity athletes receive equipment, clothing, laundry service and stipends on road trips, Penn's hockey players pay dues in order to compete at the highest level offered at the University.
The team receives some funding from the Department of Recreation and Penn hockey alumni, but in a sport that requires expensive equipment and ice time, the funding is simply not enough. The players account for the difference by paying seasonal dues of $1,000 per player.
Many want the University to assist the hockey players with some of these costs.
Freshman forward Greg de Haydu said that he would "love for the University to give a little more money, because [the team would] get more ice time." As the finances currently stand, the team can only afford two hours of ice time per week.
In a sport where practicing as a team is critically important, "You want to have two practices to one game," Penn coach Dave Berger said. "We would like to have four practices a week."
In spite of financial constraints, severely limited ice time and a stadium that rivals the old "Vet" in bleakness, Penn's hockey players stay doggedly determined to lace up their skates and drop the puck. In a word, they are gritty.
Their passion was rewarded this weekend in the fourth annual Liberty Bell Invitational, a tournament between four Philadelphia collegiate hockey teams.
In their first game against La Salle, Penn trailed for 10 minutes in the first period after Explorers defender Sal Punturiero fired a blue-line slap shot over the shoulder of Penn goalie Mark Tyson.
Despite La Salle's lead, Penn maintained a relentless forecheck and finally foiled La Salle goalie John Smyrl, who faced an astounding 56 shots on the day. Thirteen minutes into the first period, Penn junior star forward Justin Mascitelli back-handed a rebound past the sprawled-out Smyrl to tie the game. But it would not stay tied for long.
One minute and 46 seconds later, Penn took the lead with the help of an unlikely source. Two hundred-and-thirty pound forward Bill Breedlove's was rewarded with the go-ahead goal, a wrist shot from the blue line that fooled Smyrl.
And there was much more offense to come.
Sophomore Patrick Linnemann led the Quakers with a goal and five assists in their eventual 16-1 trouncing of the Explorers.
With the win, Penn earned a spot in the finals against Saint Joseph's, which defeated Temple 8-2 in the semifinals.
In the title match, the Quakers continued their impressive offensive production 58 seconds into the game with senior Micha Cohen's breakaway goal. Penn added two more goals before the first intermission.
In a game that tallied 68 penalty minutes, physical play increased as Penn built a sizeable lead.
"It gets tough. It gets scrappy," said Breedlove of the physical nature of the game. "On one hand you want to protect; on the other, you have to be classy."
Five minutes into the third period, Breedlove received a five-minute penalty for fighting, a game misconduct penalty and was ejected from the game.
However, the rough play did not disrupt Penn's focus on the fundamentals. Led once again by Linnemann, Penn's offense put six goals on the board. Linnemann finished the day with two goals and an assist and led all players in the tournament with 10 points.
Tyson was the Quakers' other standout player. The goalie only needed Cohen's first goal, as he held the Hawks scoreless with 39 saves to earn the 6-0 shutout.
After the game, Tyson was named tournament MVP with a total of 57 saves on 58 shots, resulting in a .5 goals against average.
Tyson "is the cornerstone of the team," Berger said. "He made the big saves when we needed them. When he is on his game, we're in good shape."
However, Tyson attributed his success to the team. "The forwards and defense made my job easy. When you score 21 goals, it is hard to lose."
Penn looks to use its Liberty Bell championship as a springboard to a challenging season that starts this Friday. The Quakers will face off against Princeton at 7 p.m. at the Class of 1923 Rink.
