Women on ice crew ride into history at Stadium Series in Nashville

NASHVILLE -- The NHL never had a woman resurface the ice at an outdoor event until Friday, when it had two do it at the same time.

Ali Murdock and Francesca Ranieri drove the machines before the Nashville Predators and Tampa Bay Lightning practiced for the 2022 Navy Federal Credit Union NHL Stadium Series at Nissan Stadium on Saturday (7:30 p.m. ET; TNT, SN360, TVAS2).
Murdock, 29, is an ice technician for the Lightning and one of the few women on an NHL ice crew. Ranieri, 27, is the executive assistant to NHL chief content officer Steve Mayer and has been doing double duty at the past three NHL outdoor events. Each is studying to become a Certified Ice Technician through the United States Ice Rink Association.
"It's pretty cool," Murdock said, sitting next to Ranieri. "I've never driven with another girl before."
Ranieri smiled.
"It's awesome," Ranieri said, turning to Murdock. "I mean, obviously I've heard and known about you though the League, and I was very excited to meet you."
Murdock grew up playing hockey and has been on the Lightning ice crew since 2015, when she attended a fantasy camp, received a job offer and started training to drive the ice resurfacer.
When she arrived for her first shift in Nashville about 5 a.m. on Friday, NHL senior manager of facility operations Derek King, the leader of the ice crew for this event, told her she was going to help cut. That meant she was going to drive one of the machines and shave off excess ice from the top of the sheet.
"Her eyes kind of popped out, and she goes, 'Are you sure?'" King said. "And I'm like, 'Absolutely.'"

At Amalie Arena in Tampa, Murdock drives a full-size Zamboni. At NHL outdoor games, the ice crew operates smaller, lighter Olympia machines. This was different, but it was like riding a bike.
"It was snowing when I was out there for the first time, so that was pretty surreal," Murdock said. "It was really cool."
Ranieri is a huge hockey fan who studied sport management at Syracuse University, worked in various roles for Syracuse of the American Hockey League for three years, and joined the NHL in 2017.
Mayer oversees NHL events, and from working those events, Ranieri became interested in ice operations. She worked on the ice crew last season at the NHL Outdoors at Lake Tahoe, where the NHL staged two games without fans amid the COVID-19 pandemic, and at the 2022 Discover NHL Winter Classic at Target Field in Minneapolis.
Ranieri arrived in Nashville on Feb. 12 and has been working the day shift from about 5 a.m. to about 6 p.m. each day, involved with everything from the refrigeration truck to the aluminum floor to the dasher boards to the glass to the ice itself.
"She's been first one there, ready to go in the morning at 5," NHL senior vice president of hockey operations Kris King said. "Every task you give her, she does well. She's part of the crew. There's nothing that these guys do that she hasn't done or can't do, and she does it very well."
While still doing her main job assisting Mayer with his crazy schedule.
"Every time we'd come in for a coffee break or to warm up, I have my computer open," Ranieri said. "Just going and checking on Steve to make sure his stuff is good. Just a lot of communication with Steve back and forth. He's been great about it."
After the ice crew shaved the excess ice from the top of the sheet Friday morning, it was time to flood the ice about noon to perfect it for the first practice. Murdock and Ranieri went out together.
Murdock wasn't worried about making any kind of history.
"I think I was more focused on not messing up," Murdock said with a laugh.
Same with Ranieri. This was her first solo drive, and Derek King said she did a fantastic job.
"That's impressive," Murdock said.
Murdock and Ranieri will be part of the ice crew during the game, doing everything from shoveling the ice to drilling holes for the nets to repairing the dasher boards.
"They're both part of the crew," Derek King said. "It's just great to have them with us."