It all began back in 2005, when a bunch of roller hockey playing friends formed an ice hockey team. We named ourselves the “IceAholics,” and joined a Wednesday night recreational league playing in the Pepsi Ice Arena at the Fiesta Rancho Casino & Hotel.
Ten years later, we decided to take our act on the road for the first time, and registered for a President’s Day Weekend hockey tournament in Southern California; “The Anaheim Ducks Throwback Classic.” We rented a large house and had such a good time playing hockey, barbecuing, and drinking ice cold beverages, that we decided to keep going, year after year.
2015 Throwback Classic: IceAholics winning their first tournament game ever.
2016 Throwback Classic: Team relaxes between games. I’m standing IN the pool (third from left)
Our third year playing in the tournament, 2017, we finally won a championship!
2017 Throwback Classic: The IceAholics from Las Vegas win the championship and take a team photo with the championship banner.
2017 Throwback Classic: In the parking lot outside the rink with our championship banner.
The following year, we defended our title, and picked up another championship banner!
2018 Throwback Classic: The IceAholics win back-to-back championships.
Well, they finally moved us up into one of the top divisions, and in 2019, we came close to three-peating, but lost by one goal in the championship game.
2019 Throwback Classic: IceAholics shaking the hands of the team that beat us in the championship game.
The following year, in February of 2020, they moved us up into a higher division again, and we lost in the semi-finals, but still had a great time. This was just before the pandemic shut everything down. There was no Anaheim Ducks Throwback Classic in 2021.
The tournament was finally back on over President’s Day Weekend 2022, and we couldn’t wait to return. Each year, they provide free uniforms, hockey socks, a t-shirt, jacket or hoodie, and a cooler of beverages and energy bars in the locker room after the game. The tournament organizers really do a good job.
2022 Throwback Tournament: The front of this year’s tournament uniform modeled by my wife, Becky.
2022 Throwback Tournament: The back of this year’s tournament uniform modeled by my wife, Becky.
Unfortunately for the IceAholics, they placed us in the “Gold” division, the highest division in the tournament. We do have some players who can keep up in that division, but half of our team is over 40, and we were playing against ex-pro players who had played in the AHL, ECHL, Division 1 college hockey, and professional roller hockey. As a team, we were nowhere near being able to compete, and we lost all four games. I’m still proud of our team though!
2022 Throwback Classic: The IceAholics from l to r: (Front row kneeling by nickname) Ronald, Band-Aid, Sufi, Monty, Big Ad, One Fish. (Middle row standing) The Linemaker, Smitty the Goalie, Big O, J.C., Matty D (Back row standing) Two Fish, The Bowling Ball, The Golden Boy, and me.
Now, even though we came in last in our division, since we were in the highest division, we figure we came in 4th in the entire tournament, which includes 72 hockey teams from around the nation. That’s why the guys are holding up 4 fingers.
One of the traditions every year we’ve played in the tournament is to pick one night, and have a huge barbecue, which we’ve named: “Meat-a-palooza!” One guy grills up a bunch of rib-eyes, and I grill up 6-8 tri-tip roasts.
2022 Meat-a-palooza: 4 tri-tip hot off the grill and resting.
2022 Meat-a-palooza: Tri-tip all sliced up for the party.
We arrived back in Las Vegas Tuesday evening. So, what did I do for the rest of my vacation? Ice packs everywhere. 🤕
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