Maryland

Maryland is a state in the Mid-Atlantic United States.
Its population is about 6,100,000.
Its capital is Annapolis and the largest city is Baltimore.
==History of hockey in Maryland==
The North Avenue Ice Palace in Baltimore became the indoor artificial ice rink in North America when it opened on December 26, 1894. The first game was played two days later, Johns Hopkins University tying the Baltimore Athletic Club 2-2. The Baltimore Hockey League began play in January 1895 and ran until 1898. Teams to play in the league included Johns Hopkins, the Maryland Bicycle Club, Ariel Rowing Club, Baltimore Athletic Club, University of Maryland, Northampton Hockey Club, Maryland Athletic Club, and the Walbrook Athletic Club. Though the North Avenue Ice Palace closed after the 1898 season, both the University of Maryland and a Baltimore Hockey Club paid visits to Philadelphia in December 1900 to face the Quaker City Hockey Club. 
Hockey returned to Baltimore for the first time since 1898 with the opening of Carlin's Iceland on December 14, 1931. The Baltimore Amateur Ice Hockey League was formed, composed of the Forest Park Hockey Club, University of Maryland (Dental School), Green Spring Valley Club, Mount Washington Club, Johns Hopkins University, and the Walbrook Hockey Club. The Baltimore Orioles joined the Tri State Hockey League for the 1932-33 season and jumped to the Eastern Hockey League the following year, playing in it until 1942. The U.S. Coast Guard Cutters, composed of players who had enlisted in the United States Coast Guard in World War II, played in the EHL in 1942-43, and started the following season in the league, but withdrew on November 29 and played exhibition games for the remainder of the year.
Baltimore later had the Blades (1944-1945) and Clippers (1945-1950 and 1954-1956) in the EHL. The Baltimore Amateur Hockey League was contested from January 1947 to December 1948. A prep hockey league, run by the Maryland Scholastic Association, which ran for 23 years starting in 1933-34, was still played in Baltimore from 1950-1954, and the Baltimore Hockey Club was active in 1953 and 1954. In 1954-55, the Baltimore Orioles (also called the Blades) played a series of amateur games against the Atlantic City Inlets, and also beat the Landsowne Hockey Club (PA) 9-2 on January 16. The Clippers moved to Charlotte after Carlin's Iceland burned down on January 23, 1956. The Arundel Hockey League ran from 1973 until around 1988.
There was an independent Baltimore Clippers team that was active in 1960-61 and 1961-62. The Baltimore Jr. Clippers played from 1962-1976. Baltimore has had three AHL franchises, another Clippers team, the Skipjacks, and the Bandits. On January 18, 1975, the Michigan Stags of the World Hockey Association moved to Baltimore to become the Baltimore Blades, before folding at the end of the season. The Chesapeake Icebreakers, based in Upper Marlboro, played in the ECHL from 1997-1999.
The Navy–Marine Corps Memorial Stadium (on the campus of the Naval Academy) in Annapolis hosted an NHL Stadium Series game on March 3, 2018 between the Toronto Maple Leafs and the Washington Capitals. 
The Frederick Freeze fielded junior teams in various leagues from 2007-2016. The Potomac Patriots had a team in the Empire Junior Hockey League from 2011-2013, and have competed in the USPHL since 2013. The Stevenson University Mustangs have fielded a Women's Division III team since 2012 and a Men's Division III outfit since 2016. 
;List of minor pro franchises
*Baltimore Orioles - (TSHL) - (1932-1933)
*Baltimore Orioles - (EHL) - (1933-1942)
*U.S. Coast Guard Cutters - (EHL) - (1942-1943)
*Baltimore Blades - (EHL) - (1944-1945)
*Baltimore Clippers - (EHL) - (1945-1950, 1954-1956)
*Baltimore Clippers - (AHL) - (1962-1976)
*Baltimore Blades - (WHA) - (1975)
*Baltimore Clippers - (SHL) - (1976-1977)
*Baltimore Clippers - (EHL) - (1979-1981)
*Baltimore Skipjacks - (ACHL) - (1981-1982)
*Baltimore Skipjacks - (AHL) - (1982-1993)
*Baltimore Bandits - (AHL) - (1995-1997)
*Chesapeake Icebreakers - (ECHL) - (1997-1999)
Category:States