Here is a "day in the life" of a Zamboni driver on a typical game day.
09:00 - Arrive at arena. Ice was done last night but has a fine layer of frost. Fill Zamboni with water and do a safety check, check fluids, etc. Apply a flood coat to the ice by just dragging the towell with water running.
10:00 - Home team takes the ice for pre-game skate. It is usually a light skate. Warming up and doing some skating drills, warming up the goalies, etc.
11:00 - Home team off ice, do a regular resurfacing.
11:15 - Visitors pre-game skate.
12:15 - Visitors off ice, time to prepare the ice for the game. This might involve some dry shaving, or flooding, or some combination. Try to finish by 3:00 so it has plenty of time to set up and harden.
3:00 - Wash Zamboni, clean and shine the tires. Then kill time on any maintenance chores, etc. Fill back-up Zamboni with water, warm up the engine; check oil and fluids in both machines.
6:00 - Final pre-game ice cut. Light shave only to maintain full depth but take out any ridges left by flooding. Then nets on the ice.
6:30 - Doors open to the public. Hopefully partake in a pre-game meal.
6:55 - Fill Zamboni with water in preparation for the ice cut after warmups.
7:10 - Regular resurfacing. Then dump snow, clear snow from conditioner. Get back in time to observe the National Anthem.
5 minutes left in first period - go fill Zamboni with how water, wait for intermission promotions, then resurface.
5 minutes left in second period, same routine. After resurfacing, dump water from backup Zamboni. Depending on post-game needs, prep main Zamboni (dump water is only dry shave is needed).
If overtime, be ready for possible shootout resurfacing, 4 dry shave passes down the middle of the ice.
After game, 10:00 or so, final cut. Clock out. Drive home, crash in bed. Well hopefully. If there is a changeover for another show, the full time staff often have to pull an all-nighter to cover the ice in Pro-Deck, build a stage, etc before the show loads in.
Fortunately for me, being part-time, I have the advantage of being able to leave (sometimes after the seconf intermission cut).
Hats Off to the full-timers, sometimes the Operations Manager does not leave the building for 48 hours or more!
