NHL to Play First-Ever Game in Wichita on Sept. 24 when the Arizona Coyotes Take on the St. Louis Blues at INTRUST Bank Arena
G1 Sports & Entertainment announced today that Wichita will host an NHL Preseason Game on September 24, 2022. The Arizona Coyotes and St. Louis Blues will face off at INTRUST Bank Arena in the first-ever NHL game in the city of Wichita.
“We are very excited to bring this first-time event to the people of Wichita,” said Brian Hargrove, President of G1 Sports & Entertainment. “We know Wichita is a big event city and we expect to pack INTRUST Bank Arena for this special game.”
Tickets for the G1 Sports & Entertainment “Frozen Face Off” featuring the Arizona Coyotes and St. Louis Blues will go on sale to the general public on Friday, April 22 at 10:00 a.m. Tickets can be purchased online at selectaseat.com, by phone at 855-755-SEAT (7328) or in person at the Select-A-Seat Box Office at INTRUST Bank Arena. For access to an exclusive presale opportunity on Thursday, April 21, fans can sign-up to receive INTRUST Bank Arena Emails at intrustbankarena.com.
In preparation for the first-ever NHL game in Wichita, INTRUST Bank Arena will be upgrading & enhancing the hockey playing area & surface to meet the latest NHL Performance & Player Safety Standards. This summer, Cascadia Sport Systems will install entirely new glass surrounding the rink and dasher boards featuring new Soft Cap dasher technology made from flexible thermoplastic elastomer providing added safety for all ice events at INTRUST Bank Arena. The Soft Cap dasher top provides added impact absorption assisting in the prevention of injuries and concussions. INTRUST Bank Arena installed Kevlar reinforced safety netting in 2021 providing added safety to fans outside the playing surface.
The Arizona Coyotes were founded in 1972 as the Winnipeg Jets and played in the WHA. The Jets began play in the NHL in 1979 and the team relocated to Phoenix in 1996. The Coyotes are led by General Manager Bill Armstrong, Head Coach André Tourigny and 23-year-old forward Clayton Keller who represented the Coyotes in the 2022 NHL All-Star Game. The Coyotes play in the Central Division of the Western Conference with rivals the St. Louis Blues.
The St. Louis Blues were founded in 1967. The Blues are led by General Manager Doug Armstrong, Head Coach Craig Berube and Captain Ryan O’Reilly. The Blues won their only Stanley Cup Title in 2019 when they defeated the Boston Bruins in seven games.
“We are excited to play the Blues at INTRUST Bank Arena,” said Bill Armstrong, Coyotes General Manager. “We look forward to bringing NHL hockey to the great fans in Wichita on September 24.”
INTRUST Bank Arena opened its doors in January of 2010 and is the home of the Wichita Thunder of the ECHL. In 2020, Wichita and INTRUST Bank Arena were selected as the host for the 2020 ECHL All-Star Classic for the first-time in venue history. The NHL Preseason Game matchup on September 24 will mark the first-ever NHL game played at INTRUST Bank Arena, as well as in the city of Wichita.
“The opportunity to host the first-ever NHL game in the City of Wichita and Sedgwick County is a tremendous honor,” said AJ Boleski, General Manager of INTRUST Bank Arena. “Our team is continually striving to attract world-class entertainment to INTRUST Bank Arena and bringing the NHL to our city, in partnership with G1 Sports & Entertainment, is a testament to that. Whether you are a hockey fan or not, we hope you will make plans to join us on September 24 as this game will be an historic night for our community and is guaranteed to be fun for the entire family.”
For more information on Sponsorship Opportunities, contact Brian Hargrove at brian@g1sportsentertainment.com or 316-990-7689.