Northtown Center

{{short description|Ice rink and arena in Amherst, New York}}

{{distinguish|North Town Centre}}

{{Infobox venue

| stadium_name = Northtown Center at Amherst

| nickname =

| image =

| pushpin_map = New York#USA

| pushpin_map_caption = Location within New York State##Location within the United States

| pushpin_relief = 1

| pushpin_label = Northtown Center

| location = Amherst, New York, United States

| coordinates = {{coord|42|59|40|N|78|46|57|W |display=inline,title}}

| broke_ground =

| opened = 1998

| closed =

| demolished =

| owner = Town of Amherst, New York

| operator = Recreation Department

| surface = 200' × 85'
200' × 98' (hockey)

| construction_cost =

| architect =

| former_names = Amherst Pepsi Center
Amherst Ice Center

| tenants = Buffalo Bulls (ACHA)
Buffalo Jr. Sabres (OJHL) (1998–2014)
Buffalo Wings (MLRH) (2008–present)
Buffalo Beauts (PHF) (2019–2023)

| seating_capacity = 1,800 (hockey)|

}}

The Northtown Center at Amherst, formerly the Amherst Ice Center and the Amherst Pepsi Center, is a 1,800-seat multipurpose arena in Amherst, New York, located adjacent to the University at Buffalo. The current sponsor is Northtown Auto, a Buffalo area chain of auto dealerships.{{cite web |url=http://www.amherst.ny.us/govt/recreation/ice_detail.asp?dept_id=dept_17&div_id=div_24&menu_id=menu_06 |title=Amherst Ice Center |website=www.amherst.ny.us |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110609062339/http://www.amherst.ny.us/govt/recreation/ice_detail.asp?dept_id=dept_17&div_id=div_24&menu_id=menu_06 |archive-date=2011-06-09}} The ice arena features NHL regulation-sized ice sheets as well as an Olympic-sized ice sheet, which is also capable of hosting sledge hockey.[http://www.wivb.com/dpp/news/erie/top-2-sled-hockey-teams-in-world-in-wny Top 2 sled hockey teams in world in WNY]. WIVB-TV. Retrieved February 23, 2012. The main ice arena has a capacity of 1,800 with the other rinks having less capacity. The facility will melt the ice of one rink in the summer to create a roller hockey rink, sports training facility, restaurant, and pro shop.

It is the home to the University at Buffalo Bulls men's ice hockey team competing at the ACHA Division I level in the Eastern Collegiate Hockey League{{Cite web|url=http://www.ubhockey.com/info/index.php|title = Home}} as well as the home of the Buffalo Wings, a professional inline hockey team competing in Major League Roller Hockey.{{Cite web|url=https://victorypress.org/2019/07/29/nwhl-buffalo-beauts-find-new-home/|title=NWHL's Beauts Find New Home|date=2019-07-29|website=The Victory Press|language=en|access-date=2019-07-29}}

Until the completion of LECOM Harborcenter, the arena was the home of the Buffalo Jr. Sabres of the Ontario Junior A Hockey League and the practice facility for the Buffalo Sabres of the National Hockey League.[http://buffalowingshockey.com/facility.php Facility] The arena is also home to several local high school ice hockey teams, and is used by local figure skating clubs, youth, and adult recreational ice hockey leagues, as well as public skating. The U.S. and Canadian sledge hockey teams faced off in a three-game exhibition at the arena in February 2012.