1880s

1890 A covered ice rink was constructed in Laurium, and another was constructed later, but neither would be suitable for hockey as both had poles in the middle of the ice surface.

January 1898 "The game of hockey was introduced into Houghton last Friday evening by a game between two teams from Dollar Bay...the conditions were rather unfavorable, the ice being soft and the light dim in places.  Then the posts down the center of the rink bothered the players considerable, but as the place was not built for the game it couldn't be helped..." Quoted from the Daily Mining Gazette (DMG) newspaper article dated January 13, 1898. "The Place" he referred to was a building that came to be known as The Palace, the first enclosed playing surface in the area.  Lake Superior Smelting Works owned the Ripley building but had recently stopped operations. It was located on the East side of the Portage Lake draw-bridge (just East of the current bridge; towards Dollar Bay.)  The Quincy Excelsior Band was on hand for that first game to "liven things up". Games in those days were played in 20 minute halves with a 10 minute intermission. There were only seven players to a team and the goalies wore no pads. Officials used a brass bell instead of a whistle and the goal judge stood behind the net.  (Ripley and Dollar Bay are located on the North side of the Portage Lake shipping canal, across the canal from Houghton,  East of Hancock.) Members of those first two teams were: 
WHITE TEAM             POSITION                   RED TEAM
L. Fissette                     Goal                              B. Wagner
N. Rogers                     Point                             A. Penberthy
B. Kitto                        Cover Point                   F. Fernette
H. Rosberg                   Center                           W. Middlemiss
S. McGrath                   Cen. For.                      M. McGrath
G. Williams                   Rt. Wing                        T. Glendening
E. Yates                        Left Wing                      H. Yates

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