BOSTON — As the players and coaches fought perspiration and guzzled water in the temperatures that sat above 90 degrees all day, it seemed a little funny to be promoting Frozen Fenway.
But new UMass coach Greg Carvel and senior Minuteman defenseman Marc Hetnik were among representatives of the eight Hockey East programs at Fenway on Thursday who’ll play at the historic ballpark in January.
Two college doubleheaders will highlight the fourth year Fenway has hosted hockey. UMass and Boston University will kickoff the event on Jan. 7 at 1:30 p.m. followed by Boston College and Providence.
Maine and UConn and New Hampshire and Northeastern will play on Jan. 14. Tickets for both doubleheaders go on sale Sept. 1 at redsox.com/frozenfenway.
The temporary rink will be in place for two weeks and will also host high school games and other events.
Carvel, who played baseball through high school, said he doesn’t consider himself a huge Major League Baseball fan. But when he worked for the Lowell Lock Monsters early in his coaching career, he adopted the Red Sox as his favorite team.
“When I lived in Boston, it’s hard to not fall into the Red Sox Nation, and it’s kind of stuck with me,” Carvel said. “It’s fun to be here and imagine what it’s going to be like with a rink here. It’s a nice introduction to Hockey East for me to come into a league like this.”
The ice conditions of many of the outdoor games have created somewhat slower games, but Carvel said the unique experience outweighed any detraction from the hockey quality.
“The quality may not be the same. But to do it once a year, or once every couple of years is a great experience,” Carvel said. “To be able to say you played a game at Fenway is something not many people can say.”
Hetnik, who grew up in nearby Chestnut Hill, is a life long Red Sox fan and one of just two Bay State natives on the Minuteman roster.
“I came to the first Frozen Fenway in 2010 so I have an idea what it looks like, but I can’t help but imagine what it will look like in January,” Hetnik said looking out onto the field, from the right field roof deck seats where the players posed for promotional pictures.
“It’s Fenway Park, you can’t really beat it for a college hockey venue,” added Hetnik, who craned his neck to looked down the runway into the Red Sox clubhouse when the teams moved to the field.
The players and coaches from each team half-circled the mound before the game for the ceremonial first pitch. Since UConn was the only school participating for the first time, Husky junior captain Derek Pratt threw out the first pitch to Red Sox pitcher Matt Barnes, a former UConn baseball player.
Hockey East commissioner Joe Bertagna, who sold hot dogs in the park as a summer job during the incredible dream season of 1967, said interest in the event has remained high through the first three productions of Frozen Fenway. He said an average crowd of 25,000 per weekend was a goal.
“It works in just about every level you can imagine,” Bertagna said. “It’s a financial success. The kids love playing in it. Even the kids that lost are still buzzing about the experience in the press conference. The fans seem to enjoy it. The ballpark is a fun place to come to in the middle of winter.”
The Minutemen will play exactly five years after UMass beat Vermont, 3-2 in overtime at the 2012 Frozen Fenway.
Matt Vautour can be reached at mvautour@gazettenet.com. Get UMass coverage delivered in your Facebook news feed at www.facebook.com/GazetteUMassCoverage