MEQUON — Hockey in Milwaukee looks different during a global pandemic.
"We do everything to keep our guys safe," Milwaukee Power Head Coach Nate Eminger says. "Whether it's temperature checks when they report in. Basically, any time we're not really elevating our heart rate, we're trying to keep the masks on."
The Milwaukee Power is trying to make a safe go of it.
"We split up in the locker room, so we have a handful of kids in each, so we're socially distancing there," Milwaukee Power Left Wing Teddy Marion says. "And then, when we walk in we have masks. When we walk out we have masks."
"We have sanitizers all the way around the rink here," Eminger says. "We try to split our locker rooms up for the players. That way there's less contact. We try to keep them in the same spot. And the rink does a fantastic job at sanitizing, every single time."
TMJ4 Main Sports Anchor Lance Allan says the team, filled with college prospects, plays at the Ozaukee Ice Center. They will have a limited number of fans at home games.
"Right now, we're currently at a 25 percent capacity limit. So we'll be playing inside the south rink here in Ozaukee where we're at 375, so fans will be let in to the rink here about 15 minutes prior. And from there, they get an opportunity to watch some live sports again," Eminger says.
Just getting back on the ice, has the third year team pumped.
"It's very exciting. It's great to be back on the ice. In the summer, it was hard to get on the ice but finally we're able to be out here and have a game," Marion says.
"I think the excitement level is through the roof right now. You know, we haven't been on the ice in a game situation since the beginning of March. So it's been a long offseason, not really knowing if the season was going to happen or not," Eminger says.
