Overview
- A hole near one goal briefly halted Friday's Coppa Italia test at Milano Santagiulia before staff patched the surface, with on-site reports noting soft, snowy ice.
- Organizers say the venue is structurally ready but still under construction, with incomplete dressing rooms, a temporary practice rink, no main scoreboard, and concessions run outside.
- Sellable ticket capacity for Olympic hockey is about 11,800 to accommodate media and delegations, lower than earlier plans for the new arena.
- IOC and local officials express full confidence the Games and NHL participation will proceed, while the league says players will not go if the ice is unsafe; NHL/NHLPA evaluators are on site and a statement is expected after the weekend tests.
- The rink meets IIHF dimensions that are slightly shorter than NHL ice, a factor drawing safety and gameplay concerns as the women's tournament starts Feb. 5 and the men's begins Feb. 11.