BUY THIS PHOTO AS A PRINT OR CANVAS >

📍 New Haven, Connecticut
🏒 Home of Yale Bulldogs hockey

Rarely does a sports venue double as an architectural and engineering marvel. Hinkle. MSG. The Palestra. The list is short. But Yale University’s Ingalls Rink is certainly on that list, captivating crowds in soundside Connecticut for almost 70 years and solidifying its place as one of the most iconic and legendary college hockey arenas of all time.

The magnificent rink was designed by famed architect Eero Saarinen, mastermind behind landmarks such as the Gateway Arch and TWA Flight Center, and himself a graduate of the Yale School of Architecture. His futuristic and flowing style is evident in the construction of the concave roof, which is supported by a massive 300-ft backbone. This humpback shape has also lent the venue its most common nickname: the Yale Whale.

The Whale was dedicated in 1958 and is the fourth venue that the Bulldogs have called home. Yale hockey was first organized in 1896 and, in their early years, the team skated on outdoor rinks, lakes and ponds in the greater New Haven Area. Their first permanent home was a covered ice surface at nearby Yale Field, where the Bulldogs played for three years from 1911-14. Then came two iterations of New Haven Arena; the first venue burned down in 1922 and was replaced by another in 1926. A little more than thirty years later, the Bulldogs moved into Ingalls Rink, which has served as the home of Yale hockey ever since and has cemented itself as one of college hockey’s most unique barns.

The arena is named in honor of David S. Ingalls (’20) and his son, David S. Ingalls, Jr. (’56), both former Bulldogs captains. The elder Ingalls was a decorated aviator – known as the first flying ace in Naval history – and served in both World Wars. His son would also become an accomplished Navy pilot and businessman.

The Dawn of College Hockey
Yale’s humble hockey beginnings came in January 1896 with a two-game trip to Baltimore. There, the Bulldogs lost to the Baltimore Athletic Club and then tied Johns Hopkins in the first-ever hockey game contested between US colleges.

The Whale celebrated its 50th anniversary in 2008, and the aging arena underwent major renovations the following year. The sub-street level concourse areas were expanded and new locker rooms were constructed, along with a strength and conditioning room, coaches offices and a study area for athletes. On the fan side, historical plaques and a museum-like space highlighting both the men’s and women’s programs were also introduced to the lower level. Other additions in the overhaul included new lights and a new sound system.

Visitors to the Whale will enjoy the throwback atmosphere that the venerable venue provides. The experience is nothing flashy, and it rightly shouldn’t be. There’s no goal horn, but the lively Yale band fills in to lead the crowd in cheers and in song after the Bulldogs light the lamp. The college spirit is alive and well here, with energetic fans and students alike often packing the bleachers to catch their boys in action. Win or lose, Yale hockey never fails to create memorable moments on chilly Connecticut nights under the revered canopy of Ingalls Rink.