Cherry Hill Arena

The Cherry Hill Arena opened in 1959 and at times was known as the Centrum, Ice House or Delaware Valley Gardens. it was a 4,000+ seat hockey rink in suburban Cherry Hill across the river from Philadelphia.

Throughout the years, the rink hosted a slew of hockey teams, beginning with the Jersey Larks for the 1960-61 season who would spend only one season in Jersey before picking up and leaving for Knoxville, TN. The EHL's Jersey franchise would move in for the 1964-65 season and spend nine seasons entertaining fans in Cherry Hill. In between hockey games, the arena also hosted concerts and games of the NBA's Philadelphia Warriors. 

After the EHL left, hockey still wasn't done in Cherry Hill. The WHA would came to town when the New York Golden Blades fled NYC and the steep rent at MSG. They would come to NJ and change their name to the Jersey Knights, spending only one season here before folding.

Finally, the New Jersey Aces would be the last team residence at the Ice House. They joined the NEHL, a sort of resurrected EHL for the 1978-79 season but quickly had to find a new home when the arenas was closed down for good after having its fire and liability insurance revoked. The arena itself wasn't in great condition as visiting teams didn't even have a dressing room to change in, and according to former NHL Ref Paul Stewart says the ice surface was sloped so that the away team had to skate uphill for two periods. Talk about home ice advantage!