WICHITA, Kan. (KSNW) — For the first time, hockey fans will get to watch an NHL game in person in Wichita. Today, Intrust Bank Arena and the Wichita Thunder announced that the NHL Frozen Face Off will be played at Intrust Bank Arena.

The preseason game will feature the Arizona Coyotes against the St. Louis Blues on Saturday, Sept. 24, at 7 p.m. The Coyotes will be the home team.

“We are excited to play the Blues at Intrust Bank Arena,” Bill Armstrong, Coyotes general manager, said. “We look forward to bringing NHL hockey to the great fans in Wichita.”

Tickets go on sale this Friday, April 22, at 10 a.m. through SelectASeat.com, by phone at 855-755-SEAT (7328), or the arena box office.

Thunder season ticket holders and followers of Intrust Bank Arena will have pre-sale opportunities. For access to an exclusive presale opportunity on Thursday, April 21, fans can sign-up to receive INTRUST Bank Arena Emails at intrustbankarena.com.

The Thunder has been trying to get the NHL to come to Wichita for several years. So it hopes that a good turnout for the Frozen Face Off will mean more NHL games in Wichita.

“The opportunity to host the first-ever NHL game in the City of Wichita and Sedgwick County is a tremendous honor,” AJ Boleski, general manager of Intrust Bank Arena, said. “Our team is continually striving to attract world-class entertainment to Intrust Bank Arena, and bringing the NHL to our city, in partnership with G1 Sports & Entertainment, is a testament to that. Whether you are a hockey fan or not, we hope you will make plans to join us on Sept. 24 as this game will be a historic night for our community and is guaranteed to be fun for the entire family.”

“We are very excited to bring this first-time event to the people of Wichita,” Brian Hargrove, president of G1 Sports & Entertainment, said. “We know Wichita is a big event city, and we expect to pack INTRUST Bank Arena for this special game.”

In preparation for the game, Intrust Bank Arena will be upgrading the hockey-playing area and surface to meet the latest NHL Performance & Player Safety Standards. The upgrades include new glass surrounding the rink and dasher boards featuring new Soft Cap dasher technology that provides safety for all ice events. Also, the arena installed Kevlar-reinforced safety netting in 2021, providing added protection to fans outside the playing surface.