Maurice Richard scored the first professional goal in Rochester’s War Memorial, the venerable arena docked alongside New York’s Genesee River.

In the 60 years since, nearly every imaginable hockey experience has played out at the corner of Broad Street and Exchange Boulevard, but something new happened April 9, when the Rochester Americans and USA Hockey hosted an American Development Model clinic for 8U players.

Forty-eight children between the ages of 5 and 8 participated in the station-based practice, gaining a healthy dose of fun and age-appropriate skill development, along with tickets to that night’s AHL contest between the Amerks and Lake Erie.

USA Hockey’s Richie Hansen helped run the clinic, teaming up with professional hockey alumni Steve Langdon, Ric Seiling, Jim Hofford, Geordie Robertson, Ken Soble and Bob Janosz, the Amerks’ goaltending coach.

“We had kids there from as far as an hour away, so the event had a broad reach and a great turnout,” said Hansen. “They brought lots of enthusiasm and energy, which is a perfect fit for a station-based practice, and the coaches did a great job matching the kids’ energy. It was probably an eye-opener for some in terms of how you can run an effective practice even with almost 50 kids on the ice.”

The attendees’ parents were impressed with the pace, which kept kids engaged and moving throughout the 75-minute session.

“Their feedback was 100-percent positive,” said Nick Pappas, the Amerks’ youth hockey coordinator. “They appreciated how it was constantly flowing and how their kids were learning and having fun at the same time.”