Hey hockey fans, in case you didn’t know about it, there’s a junior A playoff hockey game on tonight at Rolling Mic Concrete Arena.
The three-time defending champion Prince George Spruce Kings are hosting the Penticton Vees in Game 3 of the B.C. Hockey League Interior Conference semifinal series with Spruce Kings looking to get into the win column after a couple of tough losses on the road over the weekend in Penticton.
The Kings are down 2-0 in the series and they’re counting on their fans to help them get back on even terms in the best-of-seven series with the Vees with games tonight (7 p.m.) and Tuesday at RMCA.
But unlike their run to the BCHL championship in the spring of 2019 when there were long lines of ticket buyers stretching down the hallways outside the team office at the arena, as of about 11 a.m. this morning, ticket sales have been rather sluggish.
“We’ve sold around 750 right now and I expect another 250 walkups, but it would be nice to get another 600 sold,” said Kyle Anderson, the Spruce Kings business operations manager.
“We need all the help we can get, we need the support,” he said. “We’ve got a good hockey team and I expect ticket sales will pick up here. Get your seats before tonight, we’re expecting long lineups at the box office so why buy online or swing by right now to get your tickets.
“For the first round we had 1,000 base before we opened the doors, so we’re behind that pace right now.”
Fans can get their tickets at the Spruce Kings box office at RMCA or online at the team site.
Proof of vaccination is no longer required, as per the revised provincial health regulations which took effect April 8.
Individual tickets are $16 (adult), $11 (senior 55-plus), $5 (youth 6-18) and free (5-and-under).
As an added incentive to show up at the rink tonight at RMCA, the Spruce Kings’ chuck-a-puck promotion could send someone home $2,500 richer if that lucky fan can land a sponge-rubber puck on the centre-ice face-off dot.
The two games in Penticton at South Okanagan Events Centre drew crowds in excess of 3,000 and the Spruce Kings would dearly love to sell out the joint tonight and Tuesday, with room for about 2,100 people.
The Kings are coming off a 6-2 loss Saturday in Penticton, after dropping the series opener 2-1 Friday when the Vees scored the winner with 4.9 seconds left.
If the Spruce Kings can extend the series, the teams will meet again Thursday in Penticton, with Game 6 set for Prince George on Saturday and a Game 7, if needed, in Penticton next Monday.
The winner of the series will move on to the Interior final against either the West Kelowna Warriors or Salmon Arm Silverbacks. The Warriors lead that series after winning the first two games in Salmon Arm, 6-2 and 4-1.
The Coastal Conference semifinal playoffs resume tonight in Nanaimo, where the host Clippers will try to take a 3-0 led in that best-of-seven series against the Chilliwack Chiefs. They beat the Chiefs 2-1 and 6-3 over the weekend in Chilliwack.
The other Costal series resumes Tuesday in Langley, where the Riverman hold a 2-0 series lead over the Alberni Valley Bulldogs. They beat the Bulldogs 3-2 and 2-1 in Port Alberni.
