For decades, the Saint Ignatius hockey program has called the John M. Coyne Recreation Center home. 

The Brooklyn rink will now feel even more like home for the Ice Cats.

The City of Brooklyn and the Saint Ignatius hockey program have teamed up to have the Saint Ignatius shield painted at center ice. 

The logo was painted on the ice earlier this month, to the excitement of the student-athletes and coaches in the hockey program. The Wildcats are slated to play seven home regular-season games at the arena over the course of the 2018-19 season. 

"The opportunity to put our logo at center ice is really one of those situations where the hockey program and the city help each other out. All rinks are always looking for more revenue sources, and we have such a nice logo that we were eager to display it at center ice," said Head Hockey Coach Pat O'Rourke '90. "It should be pretty cool to skate every day at practice and see that beautiful shield emblazoned on the ice as a reminder of all that we stand for as a school. To say we're excited about it would be a huge understatement!"  

The Wildcats have plenty of history at Brooklyn.

Plenty of memorable wins have been captured in the hallowed halls of the Coyne Recreation Center of the years. As Coach O'Rourke recalls, Wildcats fans have spent many a happy day in the homely complex. 

"The Saint Ignatius High School program and the city of Brooklyn have a long and prosperous relationship," O'Rourke said. "We love playing at the rink at John M. Coyne Recreation Center – it is truly one of the jewels of the city of Brooklyn. We have played our home games at Brooklyn since back when I was playing for the Wildcats and even before that, so the memories never fade. It's a nice connection with the current players and our alumni and fans – those folks who know our history can remember the exact spots on the ice where Liam Geither scored the overtime goal to put us into the Final Four and where Harry Smith scored his double-OT playoff goal or where former great Ignatius players like Brian Baumann or John Farrall or Kevin Spellacy ripped a slapshot into the net, or stand-out goalies like Dylan McKeon or Ed Zdolshek made unbelievable saves."

The Ice Cats' season begins in mid-November with a trip to November to play the 18U AAA Pittsburgh Predators. The Wildcats will play their first home game vs. the Predators on December 29.