“Our ops crews and our staff did a great job to clear the ice, clear the pathways around the ice, and we are opening at 1 o’clock,” Business Development Manager Mike Spong said.

Fans attending Friday night’s Sabres game can get free skate rental with proof of their game ticket. There will also be a mascot race on skates between Sabretooth, Buster Bison, Chicken Wing, and Santa Claus.

Highmark Blue Cross Blue Shield is presenting the 9th annual season of skating. The attraction welcomed more than 60,000 visitors last winter.

“It’s great that this really has become a year-round healthy activity with our fitness classes in the summer, we just finished up roller skating, and now we’re taking off off our roller skates and putting on ice skates and it’s going to be a great season,” said Community Affairs Manager Maureen Hanagan.