Last Frontier Pond Hockey Classic canceled

WASILLA — The Last Frontier Pond Hockey Classic was recently canceled due to the continued warm trend and overflow conditions.

NewCity Entertainment Group LLC founder Michael Newcity said they made the tough decision to cancel the coveted community event Tuesday, March 8.

“The ice was not going to recover in time. You can’t play hockey without ice. We had to make a call,” Newcity said.

The Last Frontier Pond Hockey Classic is a fundraising event that’s designed to be a fun, non-competitive tournament for youth hockey players while strengthening Alaska’s hockey community as a whole.

“It’s devastating for the foundation. It’s a significant financial loss without that fundraising event,” Newcity said.

According to Newcity, this is the second time the event has been canceled. The first time was in 2020 due to the pandemic. He said they typically see an average of 3,000 to 4,000 attendees with teams from across the world.

“The hockey community is big in Alaska and everybody looks forward to this tournament. Everyone is sad and disappointed this can’t happen,” Newcity said.

Newcity said the 2022 cancellation is unfortunate, but event organizers are moving forward with financial investments such as a new Zamboni and a new hot water system at the Burkshore Marina.

He said they plan to announce the 2023 Pond Hockey dates in the near future. He said the event will most likely take place in February, but there is some debate on possibly holding it in January as well.

“The Scotty Gomez Foundation stays steadfast in their dedication to the youth hockey programs of Alaska and we have never lost focus on that,” Newcity said.