Ducks on Ice

The Long Island Ducks personified an era and a brand of hockey. From 1959 to 1973, they fought, checked, and slashed their way through the Eastern Hockey League and the Long Island Arena in Commack.

Photo courtesy Suffolk Sports Hall of Fame

If this sounds vaguely familiar, think back to the 1977 film Slap Shot with Paul Newman. Newman’s character, Reg Dunlop, was based on the Duck’s defensiveman John Brophy.

Chrs Vaccaro, head of the Suffolk County Sports Hall of Fame, relates the story of this storied franchise. Connie Currie tells her own story of watching the Ducks play and what it was like inside that big drafty barn of a stadium when the pucks were flying.

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One thought on “Ducks on Ice

  • Chris, I love the way you worked this. I really loved going to the Duck games. It was something my husband and I had in common and no matter what their skill level, it was more fun watching them at the arena than watching the major league on TV. It was the sounds, the enthusiasm of the crowd, the friends you made, all of it made for just great fun. Best of all, they were our team and we loved them.

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