Issue link: https://read.uberflip.com/i/1514026
WOMEN'S HOCKEY JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2024 USAHOCKEYMAGAZINE.COM // 9 O F F T HE D R AW Lohrei is Louisiana's First NHL "I am all about growing the game of hockey," Lohrei said via New Orleans Public Radio. "In the past 10-15 years, hockey in the United States has grown like crazy, and it is only going to keep going, so it is only right that it makes its way down south. It is pretty cool to have that support." Lohrei was born in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, while his father, David, was coaching the Baton Rouge Kingfish in 2001. Mason would later play for the Green Bay Gamblers (USHL) and at Ohio State (NCAA) before joining the Bruins organization at the end of last season. GET YOUR TICKETS AT After taking part in the 2022 USA Hockey Blind Classic, Brady Hadfield wasn't going to miss the 2023 event. The 15-year-old traveled roughly eight hours from Minnesota to Chicago's Fifth Third Arena for this year's three-day tournament. "I really liked seeing people that I knew playing the games," Hadfield said. "I just liked all that they had to offer. I like the mem- ories of getting together and seeing friends and families that we've met at tournaments like this." The 44 players that competed in the third annual Blind Hockey Classic came together as a community to help grow the newest of the six disabled hockey disciplines. Blind hockey was introduced to the disabled hockey community at the 2015 USA Hockey Disabled Festival. During this year's three-day Blind Hockey Classic, Hadfield was able to build on what he learned at last year's session and improve as a player. "You basically kind of pick up more of those skills that you learned last year," said Hadfield, who skated in the beginner's divi- sion. "It's kind of like getting to that next level where you might need to know a little bit. You just need to work a little bit harder than you did last year." Read more about the 2023 USA Hockey Blind Classic at usahockey.com/disabledhockey. DISABLED HOCKEY A Budding Community 2023 USA HOCKEY BLIND CLASSIC CREATES LASTING MEMORIES PHOTOS BY Getty Images; Seamus Kelley/USA Hockey p MASON LOHREI BECAME THE FIRST LOUISIANA-BORN HOCKEY PLAYER TO REACH THE NHL when he made his NHL debut with the Boston Bruins in November. Forty-two of the 50 states in the U.S. have now produced at least one player in NHL history. 2024.womensworlds.hockey/TICKETS