Krocs get ice time with the pros

Photo by Phillip Brents.

The 2019-20 ice hockey season has faced off on multiple levels: youth, club, college and professional.

All levels are represented in America’s Finest City, which might seem a bit odd when the temperature reads 90 degrees in late October.

But hockey remains the coolest sport for a growing number of East County youngsters.

For instance, the Kroc Center Ice Arena is bristling with activity both at the youth and collegiate levels. The San Diego Gulls of the American Hockey League play at 12,920-seat Pechanga Arena San Diego.

The AHL is the top development league of the National Hockey League. The Gulls serve as the AHL affiliate of the Anaheim Ducks.

Both ends of the local hockey spectrum had a chance to meet when the Gulls hosted their archrival, the Ontario Reign, the top development affiliate of the Los Angeles Kings, on Oct. 25.

About 33 players, ages 9 to 13, from the Kroc Center’s youth hockey program received the opportunity to participate in pre-game and in-game events.

During the playing of the national anthem, youth hockey players from the East County venue stood on the ice alongside professional hockey players from the Gulls.

The Krocs, as they are affectionately called, got a chance to show off their hockey skills during a scrimmage between the first and second periods.

It was a visit to the pros the kids will likely never forget.

“The kids love it,” said Tara Metzger, who serves as a coach at the Kroc Center. “The parents or the kids, I don’t know who gets more excited.”

Levi Roberts of the Kroc Squirts was among those who got a chance to skate on the ice.

Levi has played hockey for three years. He called the experience “super good.”

His ear-to-ear smile actually said more than words could describe.

“It was like gold to them,” noted Dave Roberts, Levi’s father. “It was probably the best three minutes of his year.”

Metzger said the group was comprised three teams from the center: Squirt (9-10), Pee Wee (11-12) and Novice players of assorted ages.

Both boys and girls took part in the intermission skate.

Ice hockey remains popular at the youth level, especially when spotlighted on multiple media platforms during the Winter Olympic Games.

“During an Olympic year you will have a wait list,” Metzger said. “It’s an ebb and flow around the Olympics.”

The Kroc Center provides youth hockey leagues, learn to play programs and seasonal camps for interested kids 6-14.

The Kroc Center Youth Hockey League schedule features various levels: 6U Mini-Mite, 8U Mite, 10U Squirt, 12U Pee Wee, Middle School, Novice and Junior Varsity.

The current season, which began in August and runs through December, includes a weekday practice and weekend game.

Many youth games take place prior to San Diego State University home games. The Aztecs will play three PAC-8 games this weekend at the Kroc Center: Friday and Saturday, Nov. 1-2, against the University of Washington and Sunday, Nov. 3, against UCLA.

Friday’s game is scheduled at 8 p.m., Saturday’s game at 7 p.m. and Sunday’s game at 5 p.m.

SDSU takes a 9-2-0-1 record (nine wins, two losses, one shootout loss) into the triad of games after completing a sweep of the University of Southern California last weekend in Anaheim.

The Aztecs defeated the Trojans by scores of 10-2 (Oct. 25) and 8-3 (Oct. 26) after suffering back-to-back home ice losses to UC Berkeley on Oct. 18-19 by scores of 6-5 (in a shootout) and 6-2, respectively, despite owning a shot advantage in both games.

SDSU swept the University of Georgia by scores of 4-1 and 11-4 Sept. 27-28 at the Kroc Center after facing off the season with home ice wins of Loyola Marymount University (9-5 on Sept. 13) and the USD Toreros (13-1 on Sept. 22).

The Aztecs are 4-1-0-1 on home ice this season.

La Mesa’s Elisha Reece, a sophomore forward, ranks fifth in team scoring with 14 points on eight goals and six assists in 12 games while Lakeside’s Mason Cook, a second-year defenseman, has collected one assist in 10 games this season.

Reece has one power play goal, one shorthanded goal and one game-winning goal to his credit this season.

SDSU carries a 3-2 conference record into the busy weekend schedule.

The Aztecs are 1-0 against UCLA this season after slipping past the Bruins, 6-5, in a game Oct. 4 at Pickwick Ice in Burbank.

As a bonus, the University of San Diego is scheduled to play West Coast Hockey Conference rival UC San Diego at the Kroc Center Ice Arena on Sunday, Nov. 3, at 12:30 p.m. to kick off a rare college hockey double-header in town.

The Gulls faced off their 2019-20 season on Oct. 4 and hope to record their first win of the season this weekend with dates against the Colorado Eagles Nov. 1 and Nov. 2. Both games face off at 7 p.m.

Despite starting the season off 0-6, the Gulls remain the region’s top hockey draw with crowds of 11,253 and 7,510 attending their first two home games.

San Diego has led the AHL in attendance the past two seasons. The Gulls have attracted 1,238,591 fans to home games since their inaugural 2015-16 season.