AMHERST, N.Y. — The opening ceremony for a very unique hockey tournament was held on Wednesday night at the Northtown Center in Amherst.
The Jeff Sauer International Deaf Hockey Series is kicking off with teams from the Czech Republic, Finland, Canada, and the United States participating. The tournament starts Thursday and runs through Sunday.
Organizers said the play on the ice is like any other hockey game with only a few differences.
"You're not seeing anything different, other than when the whistle blows is lights flashing around the rink to indicate players have started to play," Kevin Delaney, president of the Makita Hockey School for the Deaf, told 2 On Your Side.
"Their interpreters on the bench to communicate between the players and the coaches, and it's a little bit more quiet. There's no yelling or screaming from stands, but it's regular hockey. Nothing's really changed. Really exciting."
The tournament began at 1 p.m. Thursday with the U.S. women taking on Canada.
You can buy tickets at the door or online by clicking on this link.