SPRINGFIELD, Mass. – The Springfield Thunderbirds may be looking at their third straight postseason berth by the end of the weekend, but the success off the ice has been just as important for Western Massachusetts.

What You Need To Know

  • Saturday's Thunderbirds season finale will mark the teams 14th consecutive sellout at the Mass Mutual Center and the 20th capacity crowd during the 36-game slate at the Thunderdome this year

  • Juguitos Healthy Grab & Go juice shop across the street from the Mass Mutual Center has benefitted greatly from the Thunderbirds

  • Juguitos opened three years ago and offers mutiple drink options, including smoothies and protein shakes

  • Saturdays sellout crowd means the Thunderbirds will finish the season with another record-high average attendance of 6,321 fans, which is up from last year. This results in a 93.1% capacity figure, the second-highest in the American Hockey League.

Saturday's season finale will mark the teams 14th consecutive sellout at the Mass Mutual Center and the 20th capacity crowd during the 36-game slate at the Thunderdome this year.

"You have to try to create demand for the ticket, and when we came in, there as very little demand for the ticket," said Thunderbirds President Nathan Costa. "So the focus was building the fanbase up through groups and really focusing on our big nights like our 'Pink in the Rink night' and the nights that we do that are really great are partnerships with our community."

Pedro Arroyo is the owner and manager of the Juguitos Healthy Grab & Go juice shop located across the street from the arena.

Arroyo said the team's success has been great for business.

"They allowed us to grow fast," Arroyo said. "We grew at a very rapid pace, faster than we anticipated, and that's why we were able to move from there so quick and come over here."

Arroyo opened Juguitos three years ago and offers mutiple drink options, including smoothies and protein shakes.

He said the large crowds brought in by the hockey games have even helped out with employment.

"We typically close around five or six, but when there's an event, we stay open later. And it's allowed us to offer opportunities to other people because we need the help," Arroyo said. "We've been able to offer jobs to other people to keep up with the demand."

Saturday's sellout crowd means the Thunderbirds will finish the season with another record-high average attendance of 6,321 fans, which is up from last year.

This results in a 93.1% capacity figure, the second-highest in the American Hockey League.

Costa said it's been a near decade-long process in the making.

"The focus on building the staff size and doing it the right way," Costa said. "I knew if we did it, it would be successful here because the people are looking for something to do, people are looking to get out and come downtown and celebrate Springfield. And so I think they really rallied around us with that."