The Process of keeping the ice cold at Acrisure Arena

With the outside temperatures reaching triple digits, the ice crew has kept the ice cool inside Acrisure Arena for the Firebirds to skate on.

As the thickness of the ice is about an inch and a quarter, forming the ice is all about building, carving, and cutting the ice for a smooth feel.

"Well, we're trying to get it to an ideal thickness and it's just basically got to be just right," Zamboni driver and ice crew technician Sherry Wisener said. "We build it up and because over time during the game they're going to carve into it and our job is to just cut polish and make it a gem to skate on."

As the arena maintains a cold temperature to keep the floor icy, cool, and slippery, the ice has an affect as soon as the crowd enters the doors.

"Our biggest effect in building would be the humidity," ice plant manager RJ Schultz said. "When we open doors for the games, when all the patrons come in, our humidity rises and then effects of the ice taking the moisture out and not making it as smooth as we would like." 

With the freezing point at 32 degrees, the water turned into the ice is hotter than the outside temperature. 

"Interesting fact, our water is actually 140 degrees, and the science behind that is the hotter the water the quicker it's going to freeze through that system," Schultz said. "We go through this thing called reverse osmosis ice where we take the majority of the minerals out, and that also allows it to be a firmer cleaner and harder ice."