IU holds home ice advantage

Walking into the Frank Southern Ice Arena, the smell of dirty socks fills the air. Commonly called "The Frank," the arena is dark, drab and features a relatively small skating area. Many opponents come into this arena thinking the shanty-like appearance will correlate to a washed-up IU hockey team.\nBut what they soon find out is this ice arena serves as one of the toughest places for opposing teams to play in. \n"Teams will walk in our rink and laugh and joke about the Frank before the puck drops," senior forward Pete Johnson said. "But when the puck drops, they wish that they did more preparing for the game than telling jokes about our barn."\nThe Frank Southern Ice Arena is an enclosed, one sheet ice facility that has served the Bloomington community since 1967. Although it contains many features of a typical hockey arena, including concession stands, offices and benches for spectators, it possesses one unique element that differs from most college ice rinks -- its size. \nThe average ice hockey surface is 200 feet long and 85 feet wide. The Frank's dimensions are 190 feet long and 80 feet wide, which surprises many opponents and forces them to adjust their game.\nThe Hoosiers lost only one game at home last season and have always had success playing in their home environment. Senior forward Jon Laughner said he believes because of its distinctive playing surface, many teams find it difficult to play there.\n"Teams aren't used to the lack of space and are surprised how fast we are on them," he said. "They try to play a wide-open passing style of play and on a smaller rink, many times it doesn't work."\nJohnson agrees with Laughner's assessment and thinks the arena benefits the Hoosiers' style of play.\n"We are a very physical hockey team and the small ice surface gives us a chance to physically wear down the opposing teams night after night," Johnson said. "It may not be the prettiest rink in the league, but it's our rink, and we make other teams respect that."\nMatching the rink's tight quarters, the space between the players and the fans is similarly small. Spectators surround the entire playing surface, often screaming and pounding on the boards. Although it might not have the same amount of bleachers as other arenas, the compact nature of the Frank makes it as loud as any hockey stadium around the league.\n"It is the only rink in our league where fans bang on the glass constantly during the game," senior forward Matt Ritz said. "The glass is a Plexiglas, which makes a louder sound than other rinks."\nLaughner concurs the crowd plays a big part in IU home games. \n"The atmosphere is what makes the Frank such a special place to play in," he said. "The fans are loud and right on top of you, and we are able to feed off the energy from the crowd."\nIU has won both of its home games this season -- out-checking its opponents by a wide margin. Ritz senses teams are beginning to get a little hesitant as they step onto the ice at the Frank.\n"Usually teams that get done playing a weekend in Bloomington leave with two losses and many bruises and battered bodies," he said.\nAfter completing a two-game sweep last weekend against Ferris State University, 6-2, 3-2 in its Great Midwestern Hockey League opener, the team returns home this weekend to face off against nonconference foe University of Dayton at 9 p.m. Friday and again at 2:30 p.m. Saturday.