The first season of Wolf Pack ice hockey has come to an end, but you can still feel the excitement. With each win, the crowds grew larger and louder. The team, backed by the energized atmosphere, put together an impressive 9-5-0 season, advancing to the semifinals of the postseason tournament in Flagstaff, AZ.
Off the rink, partnerships with Nevada’s fraternities and sororities helped to bring in fans. Nevada also hosted several events with The Wolf Pack Miracle Network, a student-led organization that raises funds for Renown Children’s Hospital.
Many games were sellouts; on winter weekends at the University of Nevada, Reno (UNR), Reno Ice: The Jennifer M. O’Neill Community Ice Arena was the place to be.
Cecil Belda, a Los Angeles native and star forward, expressed his gratitude for the growing fanbase.
“The support from the Reno community was unreal,” Belda said. “Playing games at home just meant more. Stepping on that ice, you’re playing for more than yourself. You play for Nevada.”
Along with the overwhelming success at home, the Pack also delivered strong results on the road, finishing with a 5-3-1 record despite a poor start of three road losses.
In Flagstaff, during the West Coast Hockey Conference (WCHC) postseason tournament, Nevada was able to upset the Grand Canyon Antelopes (GCU) in what players on the team consider a turning point for the program as a whole.
“When we beat GCU, it was a very big eye-opener for not only everybody on the team and coaching staff, but other schools and the league,” said Chris Lai, one of the team’s alternate captains. “It kind of proved that we’re able to accomplish and beat a high-level team with it only being our first year.”
GCU came into the postseason matchup as the favorite, playing close to home and with one of the most prolific offensive outputs in the conference. However, they were shut down by the Pack’s defense and goaltending in a 4-0 win for Nevada.
Lai acknowledged that outside of the energetic game days, the mentality of the locker room and how the team works together is their winning formula.
“We’re a hard-working group of guys who have a good mix of skill and sense,” Lai said. “Everybody has a role and knows their job and how to do it… that’s where we find success – when everybody buys into their job.”
Looking forward to next year, the team plans on more involvement in community events such as free skates, the broadcasting of home games on YouTube and developing recruits from across the country, including Vermont and New York City, as part of the upcoming season.
“We just keep growing and developing,” Lai said. “We have a lot of recruits coming in next year, so we’re going to definitely grill the team and be more successful than the last. Then hopefully, year after year, we just keep on improving.”
On the production end, broadcasting games is an important development for hockey reaching a broader audience in the Reno area and beyond.
The Pack got off to a slow start early in the season. After losing their opening three games of the season, they were able to bounce back through growing fan support and improved team chemistry.
“Everybody was learning and growing trying to figure out how to operate a true hockey program but now that the first season is out of the way, everything should be rolling,” Lai said.
To the players, the success of the team and the growing fanbase carry personal meaning.
“It’s really good to know that I’m a part of something more than just a sports team,” said Lai. “I’m able to leave a lasting impression/legacy on a program and a team which makes me feel good.”
The excitement is already building for their second season, and the team can’t wait to lace up their skates and hit the ice.