The preseason game between the Ottawa Senators and the New Jersey Devils is part of O’Leary’s prize for winning the 2017 Kraft Hockeyille national competition.
Jo-Anne Wallace, a member of the O’Leary Kraft Hockeyville committee was pleased with the turn-out on the first night of registrations after a short notice. She expects a larger turnout for the remaining registration dates.
The ticket distribution plan had only been released on Monday, and Hockeyville committee members spent the next two days responding to enquiries from people interested in attending the game.
Most of the questions revolved around place of residency and the need to provide two pieces of identification including a picture ID and a second piece of documentation confirming one’s place of residence. Several people who showed up to register had to return to their car for vehicle registration or some other piece of documentation to satisfy the rules and some had to return home for documentation. Anyone who could not satisfy the rules could not register.
The rules, Wallace said, were consistent with lotteries held in other winning Hockeyville communities in recent years, including the requirement to register in person.
Wallace said only two or three people were turned away.
Those individuals and anyone else 18 years of age and older interested in getting in on the lottery still have three more opportunities to register, Saturday Sept. 2 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. and Wednesday, September 6 from 6:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. at the O’Leary Community Sports Centre and Sunday, Sept. 10 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the O’Leary Legion. A database is being maintained to ensure that individuals register only once.
Individuals whose primary residence is in the Bloomfield, O’Leary or Coleman postal codes can register for the O’Leary and area draw. Anyone from elsewhere in western P.E.I., Miscouche west, will enter the Western P.E.I. draw, and anyone from outside of western P.E.I., including out-of-province, will place their ballots in the Supporters ballot box.
Justin Clow and Jordan Kennedy drove up from Charlottetown to register. “How could I not, right?” said Clow, pointing out it is not every day one gets the chance to watch an NHL hockey game in P.E.I.
Draws will be made on Sept. 12. There will be 385 names drawn from the O’Leary and area ballot box and 250 names each from the Western P.E.I. and Supporters ballot boxes. Each name drawn will receive two tickets. Additional tickets have been set aside for O’Leary Minor Hockey and Figure Skating Club members and for one Minor Hockey team from every Minor Hockey Association in P.E.I.