Color of Hockey: Petgrave competes in 3ICE league

William Douglas has been writing The Color of Hockey blog since 2012. Douglas joined NHL.com in 2019 and writes about people of color in the sport. Today, he profiles Matt Petgrave, a Canadian college hockey and Ontario Hockey League champion and player in the professional 3ICE 3-on-3 hockey league this summer.

Matt Petgrave joined the 3ICE league because he was looking for a good summer workout.

The 31-year-old defenseman from Toronto quickly learned just how good of a workout when he played in the professional full-ice 3-on-3 league's season opener in Pittsburgh in June.

"The first period of the first game we had I was, like, 'Holy cow, like I've got to play a little smarter here and kind of conserve," Petgrave said. "But then by midway through the second period, I started getting my legs and lungs under me where I could play the game comfortably and play my style. But teams come out flying right off the hop."

That's the lure of 3ICE, nonstop action, nonstop scoring and a chance for players to hone their skills and showcase their talent to pro teams in North America and overseas.

Most of the players in the two-year-old, eight-team league have minor league, U.S. or Canadian college hockey experience or play overseas during the traditional hockey season.

Petgrave has played professionally in Slovakia and Czechia after stints in the American Hockey League and ECHL from 2017-21. He won an Ontario Hockey League championship with Owen Sound in 2010-11 and back-to-back Canadian University Cup titles with the University of New Brunswick from 2015-17.

Petgrave played for the Sheffield Steelers of the Elite Ice Hockey League in the United Kingdom last season. He had 48 points (nine goals, 39 assists) in 54 games.

"At this point in my career, I'm just trying to win, have fun and create memories," Petgrave said. "I felt like [3ICE] could add some other opportunities to prove myself to higher leagues and that kind of stuff."

His stats and two 3Ice games last summer caught the attention of retired NHL player Guy Carbonneau, who coaches a 3ICE team named after him. The other teams are coached by and named for Ray Bourque, Grant Fuhr, John LeClair, Larry Murphy, Eddie Johnston, Craig Patrick and Joe Mullen.

Carbonneau, who had 663 points (260 goals, 403 assists) in 1,318 games for the Montreal Canadiens St. Louis Blues and Dallas Stars and won the Selke Trophy three times (1988, 1989, 1992) as the NHL's top defensive forward, selected Petgrave in the 3Ice draft this season because of he could provide scoring while being responsible defensively.

"I took him because of his skating ability and his size," Carbonneau said. "Even if it's 3-on-3, having a defenseman or two is always good. There are a lot of 2-on-1s and things like that. I think having somebody that understands what it is to play against a 2-on-1 is always good."

But Petgrave said the open ice made him anything but a stay-at-home defenseman this season.

"Some might say that I'm a forward because I'm one of those guys that's always up on the rush," he said with a laugh. "My coaches always say I play a good 200-foot game."

3ICE was founded by E.J. Johnston, son of Eddie Johnston, the Team Johnston coach who played 592 NHL regular season games as a goalie with the Blues, Toronto Maple Leafs, Boston Bruins and Chicago Blackhawks. He coached the Blackhawks and the Pittsburgh Penguins and served as Penguins general manager.

The league varies a bit from traditional hockey. It consists of two eight-minute halves with a running clock, except for penalties and injuries. Instead of power plays for penalties, teams are awarded penalty shots and coaches select who takes it. Instead of overtime, teams play a one-round shootout until a winner is decided. Goalies can play the puck anywhere on the ice.

"Everyone is getting to it, like right up and down the ice," Petgrave said. "If you're trapped out there for more than a minute, you're in trouble."

The teams play a tournament-style format in different cities over the six-week season, which began June 28 at Clearview Arena at Pittsburgh's Robert Morris University Island Sports Center. It ends with the Patrick Cup championship on Aug. 12 at Wells Fargo Center, home of the Philadelphia Flyers.

Petgrave and Team Carbonneau won't be in Philadelphia after the team went 1-5 and didn't qualify for the playoffs. But Petgrave, who will return to Sheffield for the 2023-24 season, said he's looking forward to returning to 3ICE next summer.

"Oh, 100 percent. If they have me back, I'll be there," he said. "It makes for a great time and a great workout."

Photos courtesy: 3ICE, Sheffield Steelers/Dean Woolley