The NYPD and LAPD ice hockey squads are set to face off for the first time in department history this weekend, marking a historic cross-country matchup on the blue lines. The game kicks off at 3:45 p.m. Saturday at The Rinx in Hauppauge.
“We’ll see what kind of rivalry we get going,” NYPD Captain George Antzoulis told The Post. The defenseman, who is eyeing a potential rematch in Los Angeles next year, noted the frequent comparisons made between the two forces. “Two huge police forces that everyone always compares to each other,” he said.
New York enters the contest riding a high from March, when they defeated archrival FDNY 3-2 to secure their first win over the fire department in a decade. That game at UBS Arena was also defined by an internationally viral line brawl, during which Antzoulis threw punches.
It remains uncertain how often the gloves will drop on Saturday. “I’m sure the fact that they’re cops and not firemen probably makes it a little better, but, I mean, to be determined,” he said, laughing. “There’s definitely hitting. So all it takes is a little bit of a bigger hit, and it’s a free-for-all.”
One certainty is that both New York and Los Angeles will bring everything they have to the ice, putting on a show as brothers in the badge while protecting and serving the puck.
“A lot of us are all still working long days and nights right before leading up to that game,” Antzoulis said. “There’s going to be guys that are coming off a midnight shift and going straight to the rink.”
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