Report: Sabres, Wild to Play NHL Preseason Game at Pegula Ice Arena

Jack Eichel, Sam Reinhart, and the Buffalo Sabres are heading to Happy Valley.

Terry Pegula, Penn State alumnus and billionaire owner of the Buffalo Sabres and the Buffalo Bills, has worked his magic yet again, as the Sabres will take on the Minnesota Wild on Sept. 26 for an NHL preseason game at Pegula Ice Arena — the first game of its caliber to ever be played at the home of Penn State hockey. The arena, of course, bears Pegula’s name after he donated $100 million to its creation.

First reported by the Rochester (N.Y.) Democrat & Chronicle, the game was originally planned to be held in downtown Rochester in the the Blue Cross Arena at the Community War Memorial. Inadequate facilities and lackluster amenities ultimately led the organization to relocate the game.

In a statement released by the Sabres and Buffalo Bills President Russ Brandon, he stated, “The game was going to be in Rochester, but we don’t feel the facility is up to the standards to play an NHL game.”

The official announcement will be released Wednesday, June 29 when the team reveals its preseason schedule for the 2016-17 season.