People are already complaining about the Olympic ice (after the first hockey game)

Jonathan Di Gregorio
People are already complaining about the Olympic ice (after the first hockey game)
Credit: Getty Images

We are very close to the start of the upcoming Winter Olympics, which officially begin tomorrow.

One of the issues that has been widely reported in recent weeks is the situation at the Santagiulia Arena in Milan, which has experienced numerous delays in its construction, which began three years ago, as well as numerous problems with its ice rink.

Today was the big day for the arena, which hosted its first hockey game as Italy took on France in the women's hockey tournament.

However, we learn in an article by François-David Rouleau published on TVA Sports that there is still work to be done, both inside the building and on the ice rink.

The players on both teams noticed the heat on the ice rink, which makes the ice conditions rather average.

According to Eric Bouchard, the Italian coach, the ice surface is rough and uneven. This forces the players to keep their execution and plays simple because the puck bounces on the ice.

Breaking the ice in an arena with broken ice is not ideal.

Furthermore, it does not bode well for the upcoming men's and women's hockey tournaments.

However, there is still time to improve the quality of the ice, which should be better in the coming days as cooler temperatures will help with the heat problem.

One wonders what the rink will look like when the men's tournament begins next Wednesday.

In the meantime, the women will have to play several games on a mediocre rink, which is not really up to the standards we should expect at the Olympics.

At least, even if the ice rink still leaves something to be desired, the 16,000-capacity arena has a good atmosphere, as the Italian and French women's teams discovered in their first game.

In short, let's hope the ice problem is quickly resolved.


Overtime

– A helping hand from the Penguins.

– The Sens win in overtime.

– Victory for the Islanders.

– Things are heating up between rivals.

– Raptors win.

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