Courtesy Adirondack Thunder
The Adirondack Thunder announced details surrounding the All-Star Classic Fan Fest to be held 6-9 p.m. on Tuesday, Jan. 17 at the Fort William Henry Hotel in Lake George.
The event, sponsored by NYSCOPBA, is part of the 2017 CCM/ECHL All-Star Classic in which the Adirondack Thunder, the local ECHL affiliate, will play against All Stars from the rest of the league. That game will be played Jan. 18.
The All-Star Classic will be televised live exclusively on NHL Network at 8 p.m. that night.
It will feature the host Adirondack Thunder, ECHL affiliate of the NHL’s Calgary Flames, taking on the ECHL All-Stars in a non-traditional format featuring 5-on-5, 4-on-4, and 3-on-3 play, as well as a skills competition (puck relay, hardest shot, fastest skater) to highlight the talents of both teams. The All-Star Team will be comprised of the League’s top talent and prospects, showcasing the future stars of hockey.
The broadcast will feature color commentating from NHL Network analyst Neil Smith alongside the ECHL’s own Cameron Close (Adirondack Thunder) and Matt Melzak (Toledo Walleye).
Sawyer Fredericks of Fultonville, winner of the TV competition “The Voice” in 2015, will perform the American National Anthem. A quartet from the Glens Falls Symphony will perform the Canadian Anthem at the game.
Fan Fest will be headlined by both historical and interactive hockey exhibits, beginning with five trophies from the NHL, AHL and ECHL. Headlining the event will be the 1996 World Cup of Hockey trophy, won by Team USA 20 years ago. Joining it will be the Hart Memorial Trophy, awarded annually to the NHL’s most valuable player, and the Vezina Trophy, awarded to the NHL’s top goaltender.
Rounding out the display will be the Calder Cup, the AHL’s championship trophy, and the Kelly Cup, the ECHL’s championship trophy.
The event will also have three interactive games, the goalie challenge, radar cage and electronic net, presented by the Hockey Hall of Fame, along with a mini-rink inside Towers Hall. The interactive games will provide fans with an opportunity to interact with the ECHL All-Stars and Adirondack Thunder players in hockey-themed games.
Two bubble hockey tables will also be available for fans to play.
The Hockey Hall of Fame will also be bringing 12 exhibits to display at the event, highlighting history around the NHL, ECHL and hockey in upstate New York, among other areas. The exhibit themes will include the Miracle on Ice, NHL Superstars, past and present, origins of hockey, ECHL history, Adirondack Hockey and others.
Fan Fest will also feature the finals of the ECHL sponsored NHL 17 Tournament, which. The competition spanned 12 teams around the ECHL, including the Thunder, and has culminated in the finals in Lake George.
The Thunder will be selling official 2017 CCM/ECHL All-Star Classic merchandise at the fan fest, the first time All-Star merchandise will be available to purchase. . The ECHL and MeiGray will also be on hand with samples of MeiGray memorabilia, available for sale only at the game and skills competition the following day.
The event will conclude with a live fireworks show over Lake George at 9 p.m.
Tickets for Fan Fest are available at $10 for adults and $5 for youth and will be sold both in advance and at the doors of the event, while supplies last. To order advance tickets, fans are asked to call 480-3355, ext. 1, or visit the Thunder offices, located at the Glens Falls Civic Center.