Pond hockey in New Hampshire brightens winter for hundreds. But climate change threatens the sport

By NICK PERRY
Associated Press

MEREDITH, N.H. (AP) — Each February, more than 2,000 players descend on Meredith, New Hampshire, for the three-day Pond Hockey Classic. For many, the tournament is the highlight of winter and a return to the roots of their sport. But like many winter traditions on lakes across the U.S., pond hockey is under threat from climate change. This year, the Meredith tournament was moved from Lake Winnipesaukee, where the ice wasn’t thick enough, to the smaller Lake Waukewan. Ice events are being affected or canceled across the U.S. Last year was the warmest ever recorded on Earth, and a natural El Nino weather pattern has made winter even milder in some places.