The very nature of professional hockey turns equipment managers into Boy Scouts.

“You always have to be prepared,” said Hershey Bears equipment manager Justin Kullman.


Now in his ninth season with the American Hockey League team, Kullman faces a unique challenge this week as the Bears prepare for Friday night’s Outdoor Classic against the Adirondack Phantoms at Citizens Bank Park in Philadelphia.

“I’ve never done this before, so it’s new to me and all of us,” Kullman said. “I’ve talked to a couple of other equipment guys in the league that have worked outdoor games, and they said not much changes.”

Open-air practice this morning

Kullman said he will have a better feel for things after the Bears practice at 10 a.m. today on the outdoor rink at Milton Hershey School.

“We’ll adjust the laundry situation a little bit after (today),” Kullman said. “If a guy wears Spandex shorts under his pants, maybe he’ll want to wear Spandex long pants, stuff along those lines.

“I’m going to pack extra sets of long underwear in case guys want it. We’ll make sure we’re prepared.”

After watching the National Hockey League’s Winter Classic at Citizens Bank Park on Monday, Kullman said he did not see anything surprising. And the Hershey players have already been issued heavyweight sweatshirts and toques to wear on their heads if they wish.

“None of the guys had headgear on under their helmets during the game,” Kullman said, “but who knows what they were wearing under their uniform and pads, whether it was long sleeves or long underwear.”

Remember the skate guards

Skate guards will be a necessary piece of equipment for each player, something that isn’t usually the case.

“Since it’s such a long walk from the locker room to the rink, we’ll need to have them,” Kullman said. “We usually put those skate soakers on each skate blade when we pack our bags for road trips anyway.

“They’ll be good enough to walk in. We’ll just need to have someone there to take them on and off the guys. Whether it’s me or one of my helpers, we’ll have it taken care of someway.”

The one equipment item most critical to any hockey player is his skates. Kullman said he does not expect the outdoor ice to present a problem.

Friday’s 9 a.m. skate on the Citizens Bank Park rink will help answer a lot of questions when it comes to the blades.

“I’ll sharpen them the same as I would do for a game here at Giant Center,” Kullman said after practice Tuesday. “If we have to make adjustments after Friday’s morning skate we can do that. We’ll know by noon what changes we need to make.

“No matter what, I’m really pumped. I’ve done the all-star games. I’ve won Calder Cups. But I’ve never done an outdoor game, so I’m looking forward to it.”

Today's test run

Bears center Keith Aucoin said today’s outdoor practice should help the players decide which gear will work best in the elements.

"I think we’re just going to wear what we usually wear and see how that feels,” said Aucoin, the AHL’s leading scorer. “Most of the guys in this room haven’t played outside since we were kids.

“We might have practiced at Milton Hershey a couple of times over the years, but it’s pretty cold when we do. And Friday is a night game, so we know it’s going to be pretty chilly.”

Aucoin said the hardest part is waiting for game day to arrive.

“Who wouldn’t want to play before a sellout crowd at a baseball stadium?” Aucoin said. “Not many guys get to do it, and we’re lucky enough to be with an organization that was picked to do it.

“The guys are really excited, and we’ve been talking about the past couple weeks. This week is going by pretty slowly. We’re looking forward to Friday and can’t wait to get going.”

Officials selected

The AHL announced Tuesday that referees David Banfield and Jamie Koharski will officiate Friday night’s Bears-Phantoms game along with linesmen Leo Boylan and Bob Goodman.

Veteran AHL referee Ryan Fraser worked Saturday’s NHL Winter Classic Alumni Game alongside his father, retired NHL referee Kerry Fraser.