Respecting The AUD

You probably know by now that the deal has been done that will keep the Utica Memorial Auditorium the home of the NY State high school hockey championship through the year 2011. As a kid, my dad took me to the Utica Memorial Auditorium to watch the Clinton Comets tear up the Eastern Hockey League. It was a sacrilege. The Clinton Comets were playing in Utica. It wasn’t that the Auditorium was a bad place to watch hockey, quite the contrary – it was a clean, comfortable, new building. But, it wasn’t the Clinton Arena. Literally, for decades, that was the big knock on the Aud – it wasn’t the Clinton Arena. The hockey tradition and old school appeal of the “old barn” that goes with the Clinton Arena is undeniable…it’s time to give the Aud its due.

First, the physical structure – never been a bad seat in the house. Of course, I mean that in terms of line of sight…in the neglected years your rear end often sat on the non-padded, steel plate that was your seat. Even in the top row seats, you weren’t far enough away from the ice that you could afford not to pay attention to defected slapshots. There are plenty of convenient concessions and restrooms. My biggest knock on the facility, and I’m sure I’m not alone, is the parking. Parking has been a pain since the building was built over 40 years ago. In part, it’s because of the failure to follow through on the original plan to build a parking garage and/or hotel on the site where the all too small parking lot is located, just west of the Aud. That’s why the main entrance lobby is located face that lot.

As for hockey tradition, the place is loaded. The original Comets played many games at the then young Aud, while still calling the Arena home. In 1973, when the EHL closed shop, the Aud became home to the Mohawk Valley Comets of the North American Hockey League and remained the home ice for the various pro hockey operations that played in the Mohawk Valley.

Pro hockey’s heyday in our area were the six seasons of the AHL’s Utica Devils. From 1987 to 1993, among those who called the Aud home ice were, Tommy Albelin, Pat Conacher, Jim Dowd, Billy Guerin, George McPhee, Claude Vilgrain and Eric Weinrich. Paul Ysebaert won the AHL MVP in 1990. Kevin Todd won the AHL MVP the next year. The guys behind the bench were no slouches either. Tommy McVie was the first Utica Devils Head Coach. He was named the AHL Coach of the Year in 1989. Tom went from the Utica Devils to the New Jersey Devils. That same road map, from Utica to Jersey, was then used by Herb Brooks. Robbie Fitorek, who followed Brooks to the helm in Utica, eventually did the same.

But, the Utica AHL effort was really earmarked by the quality goaltenders who wore the red U with the tail attached. Craig Billington played 13 seasons in the NHL after his last of three years in Utica. Rollie Melanson already had a Stanley Cup ring before he arrived in Utica for his two seasons here. Corey Schwab spent 7 seasons in the NHL after his year in Utica. Chris Terreri actually posted the most season in the NHL of any Utica goalies, 16 after his service at the Aud. But, the man most talked about, then and now, is Martin Brodeur. The two time Vezina trophy winner had a less than stellar 14-13-5, with a GAA just over four. However, you could see that, when properly seasoned, this young kid was gonna be top shelf.

The Aud has been the site of several hockey special events. The Aud hosted the 1962 NCAA Frozen Four, Michigan Tech beat Clarkson to be crowned the kings of college hockey. The first goal put in the net by a goalie in an AHL game was scored in the Aud, by Darcy Wakaluk of the Rochester Americans in December, 1987. Perhaps the most famous hockey special event to happen at the Aud didn’t occur in a real game…but, it immortalized the building in hockey lore. I’m talking about SLAPSHOT, the legendary hockey movie. In 1977, several scenes from the Paul Newman film were shot at the Aud. In case you’ve never noticed, they are the pre-game, locker room pep talk and the total team brawl that breaks out during the warm up.

Today, the Aud is home to Utica College, MVCC, Proctor High School and the Mohawk Valley Youth Hockey Association. And, it will remain the home of the NYS High School Hockey Championships for years to come.