The Forecheck: The ice surfaces goes in at Toscano Family Ice Forum

Welcome to the UConn Hockey Hub newsletter, which catches you up on all the stories, trends, and anything else you might have missed, along with some quick takes and leftover notes from the weekend.

The ice surface goes in at Toscano Family Ice Forum

Toscano Family Ice Forum hit a major milestone towards completion over this past week as the ice surface went in at the new rink. The process began on Friday and continued throughout the weekend.

After playing eight of the last nine seasons at the XL Center, UConn men’s hockey will finally play on an ice sheet with its own logo at center ice instead of the Wolf Pack’s.

Unlike Freitas Ice Forum, where the lines and logos on the ice are painted, Toscano Family Ice Forum went a different route by using pieces that can be removed and reused after the ice melts. UConn posted a video that detailed the installation process for the new surfaces.

After months of looking at a construction site, the facility is finally starting to transform into a hockey arena. The parking lot surrounding the building has been completed, most of the interior spaces are being finished and the most noticeable step remaining is just the facade on the entrance.

Even with the ice in place, UConn men’s hockey will keep operations in Freitas Ice Forum once the team returns from the holiday break and through the LIU series. On Jan. 2, the Huskies will hold their inaugural practice in the facility.

UConn women’s hockey will play the first game at Toscano Family Ice Forum with a soft open against Merrimack on Jan. 13. The grand opening will come the next day, a double-header with UConn women’s hockey taking on Vermont at 2 p.m. ET followed by UConn men’s hockey vs. Northeastern at 7:35 p.m. ET.

Week in review

From the UConn Hockey Hub:

• UConn heads into winter break with mixed feelings

Last week’s Forecheck:

• The Dawn of Tage

Play of the Week

Best of social media