Ages Welcomed to Play:
21+. It's a Labatt Blue tournament after all.

Size of the Tournament: 
7 divisions which means 200 teams and over 1200 people total

Special Entertainment:
Live music on the lake!

Location of Tournament:
Chenango Valley State Park (New York)

Time of Year: 
Multiple tournaments over multiple weekends-
January 12-13 is the Youth House Tournament
January 18-20 is the College Level Tournament
January 25-27 is the Adult Tournament
February 8-10 is the 10 and under Tournament

Size of the Tournament: 
Each Tournament (weekend) features 250-300 active players

Special Entertainment:
Varies by weekend and audience but in year's past there's been fireworks, animal interactions, local live music, sledding and more. Various vendors attend as well.

What Sets This Tournament Apart:
This is the only tournament with mechanical refrigeration in a state park setting. That means nearly-guaranteed ice in a beautiful part of the state. Also, proceeds from the tournament go to local DIFD programs for youth suicide prevention and youth mental health awareness. 

Third Assist's Take: 
Stable, eye-catching setting with multiple weekends to take part. It's one of a kind for the U.S. 

​Where to Learn More About This Tournament: 
www.bingpondfest.com/
facebook.com/bingpondfest
instagram.com/bingpondfest
twitter.com/bingpondfest
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCOHP92P0c3ihyMDm1lSSjDA

*All photos used by permission from tournament.

​As part of Third Assist's "Ultimate Pond Hockey Resource" we've reached out to the best pond hockey tournaments taking place this winter in the United States. We want to know where they're at, what makes them unique, and why we should visit this upcoming winter. Safe to say we're sold on the following tournaments.

​Location of Tournament:
Lake Morey Resort (Fairlee, Vermont)

Time of Year: 
January 25-27, 2019

Ages Welcomed to Play:
21+

Size of the Tournament: 
90 teams total:
3 Men's Divisions (A/B, C, D/E)
2 Women's Divisions (B/C, D/E)
1 Coed Division

Special Entertainment:
The tournament features themed parties on Friday and Saturday night. This includes live music, an on-ice DJ, outdoor beer garden, late-night DJ, and Photobooth.

Special Vendors:
Skate sharpening on site, hockey merch, and other sporting goods.

What Sets This Tournament Apart:
Frostbite Faceoff offers competitive men's and women's divisions in a convenient and beautiful location: The White Mountains of Vermont. With this backdrop you can take part in one of their signature "Friday Night Lights" games. 

Third Assist's Take: 
If you're in the area between Burlington and Concord, or looking for a destination tournament, Frostbite Faceoff is one of the best choices out there. You can play outdoors in scenic spot with festivities to keep you entertained all weekend long. We're sold. 

​Where to Learn More About This Tournament: 
www.frostbitefaceoff.com/
www.facebook.com/frostbitefaceoff/

*All photos used by permission from tournament.

This past winter season was the busiest yet for the small team here at Third Assist. With March coming to an end, we’re figuratively closing up shop for the season- not too many insulated hockey gloves and winter hockey jerseys are sold during beach season. But with our season ticking down we must review the business: products, sales, new prototypes, taxes, etc. So next comes the question:

How did we do and where are we going next?

We are happy with the growth we had in 2017. We undertook minimal marketing and achieved more sales this year than any year past. Every year we have grown and this continues to be the case which is encouraging for the future. As long as Mother Nature doesn’t take a toll on every rink and pond in the north we’re anticipating the same steady increase for next year. However, this is one small difference.

Next year, we’re getting the Third Assist name out there.
​
Third Assist, on its own, is a pretty weird name (Hockey players should catch the reference easily). Some of our products, without an open-mind and a carefree attitude, are at times a little weird themselves. But that’s exactly what we’re going for. The pond hockey and outdoor hockey community are fun-loving, free-flowing, creative types and these are exactly the folks we aim to reach next season. So what’s in store for next year?

We’re expanding our glove line, sharing our pond hockey tournament custom jersey design shop, and creating partnerships with small business and tournaments around the country. We’ve haven’t undertaken heavy marketing in years past, but after a few years of product testing and encouraging sales we have decided to take the next step. This next winter you may even see Third Assist in a retail store near you.  But until then keep an eye on the site, and as always feel free to reach out if you want to get involved. It was a great 2017 with your support. Thank you for continuing to enjoy hockey as it was meant to be played!
​
Third Assist Team