Can a senior men's hockey team make a go of it again on the Sunshine Coast? That's one of the questions the Sechelt Hitmen hope to answer when they play host to the Powell River Regals next Saturday night.
The Hitmen are made up of a group of players from the three teams in the Sunshine Coast Men's A-division. They came up with the idea of trying to resurrect a travelling senior men's team when the Regals contacted Hitmen goaltender Keith McKenzie late last year.
McKenzie, along with Hitmen teammate Steve Stevenson, started to get the word out to other players in the league. So far the team has held two practices with one more set before the game against the Regals on Feb. 13. So far interest has been high with the players with more than 20 guys coming out to practice.
"Way back in the day there was a senior men's team called the Sharks. For various reasons, the team eventually folded, but that being said, the fan support was quite high," said Stevenson. "That's what is needed again. The fan support is a big thing and the only way a team can be created is if we get the fan support."Stevenson said already ticket sales are going well with a couple hundred sold.
"If we can get the fan support and interest from the community, then we can join the AA senior men's circuit again," he said. "The Regals offered to come down with refs and help us out. The senior men's circuit is struggling, so it's in the Regals best interest to help us out too. They've been very supportive."The two teams will hook up again at the end of the month in Powell River and there is a third game tentatively being planned for Gibsons in early March.
The Feb. 13 contest starts at 7:15 p.m. at the Sunshine Coast Arena in Sechelt. Tickets are $8 for adults and $4 for students and seniors, available at Lucy's, from Hitmen players or at the door. The Sechelt Spiders women's team will be helping to run the gate and support and co-ordinate off-ice activities during the game. The game itself will be three, 20 minute stop-time periods, full contact with NHL rules.
