After practicing in an ice rink smaller than the National Hockey League standard for more than 30 years, the Ohio State’s men’s ice hockey team is expecting to practice in a normal size rink this fall.The Department of Athletics has decided to expand the ice rink beside St. John Arena from the present size of 185 feet by 85 feet to 200 feet by 85 feet, the standard size of ice rinks used for Division I college hockey and the NHL. The Buckeyes were allowed to play in a smaller sized rink because there is no specific rink size required by the NCAA.”To practice in a place that is smaller and then go to play the real game in a larger rink really makes it hard,” said Duke Johnson, the ice rink manager. According to Johnson, the added 15 feet will mostly go to what is called a “neutral zone” in a hockey game. It is the middle part of the ice rink where competing teams have equal advantages and disadvantages.John Markell, coach for the OSU men’s ice hockey team, said the neutral zone is very important in a hockey game. “That’s where a lot of transitions take place. It’s where the guys find openings and gaps and form efficient offenses or defenses,” he said. “This (the expansion) will help us become a better transition team.”OSU’s hockey team had always practiced in this rink until the opening of the Schottenstein Center about half a year ago. Since then, they sometimes practice in the Schott if ice is available there.Another beneficiary of the expansion is the OSU women’s hockey team, which is still in the process of recruiting new members. It will play its first varsity game in the fall. Jackie Barto, coach for the women’s hockey team, said she is very excited about the expansion.”It allows us to play the style of the hockey that we want to play,” she said. “It allows us to practice and play in a ice rink that is the same size as other places.”Barto agreed on the importance of making the neutral zone the standard size. “It allows the tempo and the flow of the game to pick up,” she said.The current ice rink size makes the game more of a power game, while finesse is also a very important part of a hockey game, especially for women’s hockey, she said.”This will help with the development of our program,” Barto said.According to Johnson, construction will begin to expand the rink June 14 and last until September. He said the price is still undetermined because bids are still being accepted.He said costs may be higher though, because the ice rink was first built on the river bed of the Olentangy River and the floor will sink without support.Construction crews will need to have people go down 30 feet to put in concrete piers that can support the ice rink, which adds to the cost. Without this, cost could probably be cut in half, he said.After the completion of the project, the ice rink will be used for practice purposes by the men’s hockey team. The women’s hockey team will use the place for both practice and games. And intramural games will be held in Winter and Spring Quarters.