UK HOCKEY: LATE AND LOUD

While you were sleeping last Saturday, the University of Kentucky Cool Cats ice hockey team was beating the puck out of the University of Dayton Flyers, improving to 12 wins, nine losses and two ties.

Play started at midnight. I'd never been to a hockey game in my life. I went to check out fan support and the fun. Games can get loud, so if you consider hearing loss fun, it was a riot.

The Cool Cats, a club team in its 24th season at UK, participate in the Southeast Conference in Division II of the American Collegiate Hockey Association.

Fan support is generally good and steady, says Ian Ward, general manager for the team. Hockey is typically one of the largest spectator sports at UK (behind football and men's and women's basketball), according to the team's Web site, www.ukhockey.com.

For each home game, 300 to 500 boisterous fans -- mostly college-age men and women, a few of the players' parents and a smattering of insomniacs -- fill the off-campus Lexington Ice Center & Sports Complex to cheer on the Cool Cats.

The night I was there, at least 400 fans, in unison, were taunting the Dayton Flyers with chants of "We're gonna kick the puck out of you." It might have been the temporary deafness, but I don't think they put it exactly that way. Anyway, there were only two fights on the ice that had to be broken up by the referees.

So, if you are looking for a late-night diversion this weekend, the Cool Cats will play two games against the South Jersey Raptors. Six additional home games are left. Stuff your ears with cotton and pull up your hoodie, because it's cold, but it costs only 5 bucks.

As spectator Brooks Swentzel put it, "What else are you going to do at 2 in the morning?"

I could think of a couple of things. Dayton's goalie got it -- He apparently fell asleep. Kentucky won 7-0.

Eye Candy

Poster pinups

The Cool Cats have built a reputation of putting beautiful women with Kentucky connections, wearing only a jersey, on their annual poster ever since the 1998-99 season, when Ashley Judd posed, above.

This year's poster features former Miss USA Tara Conner, crown and all, below.

So how did that happen? Ian Ward, the team's general manager, said he talked to officials at the Miss Universe Organization and they agreed to let Conner do it. Ward sent Conner a jersey, Miss Universe arranged the photo, and poof! it was done.

Others who have posed are actresses Rebecca Gayheart and Leah Lail, models Alison List and Kylie Bax, twin models Julie and Shawnie Costello and boxing announcer Amy Hayes.

To see all of the posters, go to www.ukhockey.com/posters.shtml.

If you go

UK Cool Cats hockey