The NCAA Men’s Ice Hockey Tournament kicked off on Thursday in Springfield, drawing fans from all over to Downtown Springfield. Local businesses in the area have been thriving thanks to the influx of visitors, with bars, restaurants, and shops seeing an increase in customers as they headed to the arena for the games.

The opening games saw the UMass Minutemen take on the University of Denver Pioneers, while Cornell Big Red faced off against the University of Maine Black Bears at MassMutual Center. Before the teams hit the ice, fans were united in their need for sustenance. Michael Sacenti, a UMass fan, highlighted a UMass meetup at MGM.

Bars and restaurants in Downtown Springfield have been enjoying the business brought by the tournament. Signs in their windows have been inviting hockey fans in, with establishments like Theodore’s Blues, Booze and Barbeque seeing fans from all four programs dine there. Co-owner Keith Makarowski noted that tables were quickly filled after opening at 11 am as fans got their pre-game meals.

Despite Makarowski wearing a University of Maine shirt, it was not due to his loyalty to that team. The Black Bears had contacted him promising to bring customers his way leading him to represent UMaine. The first night of tournament hockey was just the beginning; more games are scheduled for Saturday night at MassMutual Center.

Makarowski expressed excitement for the upcoming games and support from fans of UMass and UMaine. He mentioned that local businesses were thrilled to see the community come together for NCAA hockey and were looking forward to continued influx of visitors making this tournament a success on Saturday night.