The origins of Third Assist can be traced back to childhoods in the Last Frontier in the 90s. Anchorage, Alaska is a hockey town. The majority of public schools had an outdoor rink and there were countless ponds where you could find games. There were a handful of ways to pass the long, dark winters in Alaska and hockey was the first choice for many.


As in most hockey towns, brothers Chris and Andrew were introduced to hockey skates shortly after they started walking. Between the two, it was rare there were any days off the ice. The favorite place to play were the ponds, where you could skate for hours until the puck got lost in the accumulating snow. When the sun went down or the lights went off, they would spend the drive home thawing out their hands and feet beneath a sputtering minivan heater. Despite the abuse to the extremities and inevitable frostbite that came with skating in subzero temperatures, comfort was never the first thought when heading out for a game.

Fast forward 15 years, and Chris found himself teaching kids to skate in similar conditions. Both kids and parents were voicing comments he could remember from his childhood. Conditions were rough and it was taking a toll on the kids playing out there. Both the kids and the parents agreed playing outdoors was the best way to enjoy the game, until the weather made it so it wasn't.

And that's where the first Third Assist product was born.. 

Do you want to read where this story goes next? Check out our blog for the origins of Third Assist and how we built the small business. 

Where we are now

Third Assist is a small hockey business started by one brother, but has grown with family and friends. The first product was introduced in 2014 with the first notable expansion in 2018. Over the years Third Assist has found itself located in Alaska, Maine, and Tennessee. 

Over the years and locations, one element of Third Assist has remained constant: Celebrating hockey at its roots.