Providence, RI– The launch of a brand new roller hockey tournament in April at The Providence Rink gave new meaning to the term “power play.”

Over the course of three weeks, four teams assembled on the rink surface to compete head-to-head in a winner-takes-all contest for prizes, bragging rights, and most importantly, a good time.

While each team was made up of fearsome competitors, some early favorites emerged the first night.  The Rink’s House Team– a ragtag bunch of solo players assigned to a team on registration– demonstrated that they were adaptable and confident playing among strangers. The sky was certainly the limit as they dispatched the mighty Horse Marines – in their distinctive gray and orange camo jerseys–  with a 6-2 blowout.  Meanwhile, the Machines lived up to their name with a 23-2 triumph over the Mess Bears. Despite a couple of hard shots to the boards, and tumbles taken to the surface all in the name of good clean hockey, it was clear these players had forged a sense of camaraderie under the duress of competition.

Friendships may have endured the second week, but the action at the rink was no less fearsome. Fueled by the soundsystem blasting out Metallica’s immortal metal symphony “Master of Puppets,”  the adrenaline in the air was thicker than 7-11 Slurpee syrup. The Machines succumbed to a vicious onslaught by the House Team in the first match, while the Mess Bears proved no match for a stampede by the Horse Marines. The Marines would stay in the saddle for the third match of the night, with a victory over the Machines, while the house Team claimed a hard fought 7-3 win over the Mess Bears.

By the third and final week, it was clear that players had found their rhythm on the concrete. Passing plays and shots on goal dominated the action, and despite a valiant effort, the Mess Bears and the Machines would be sent home bruised but not battered. This left the House Team and Horse Marines squared off for the final battle, and over the course of three 12-minute periods, the rink was at a fever pitch. In the end, the dust had settled and the Horse Marines would be crowned champions, but with handshakes and smiles all around, each participant could lay claim to their own personal victory.

There’s no doubt the inaugural season of the Roller Hockey Tournament at The Providence Rink will go down in the annals of the sport as a rousing success, with plans and plays already being developed for next year’s season. Be sure to follow @BankNewportCC on Instagram, @theprovidencerink on Facebook, or sign-up for the mailing list on theprovidencerink.com to keep up with all the action, and stay tuned for more information on the next competition coming soon.