NANAIMO — Despite the Clippers untimely first round exit from the BC Hockey League playoffs, games will continue at Frank Crane Arena.
Refrigeration issues impacting the Alberni Valley Multiplex ice surface is forcing the Alberni Valley Bulldogs to relocate their second round series home games against the Chilliwack Chiefs, which begins Friday, April 18.
Bulldogs Director of Business Operations Stefanie Weber said the team will host games three and four of the series in Nanaimo at Frank Crane Arena on the evenings of Tuesday, April 22 and Wednesday, April 23.
“Very frustrating, very disappointing, terrible timing, we can put any label we want on it, but the short answer is that without ice we obviously need to find a different solution.”
Weber admitted nothing about this situation is ideal, but they’re hopeful a large crowd of fans will make the trek to Nanaimo to support the Bulldogs.
She said the time crunch of the BCHL Playoffs meant they were left with minimal to no options, with no solution possible before the team was set to host Chilliwack next week.
“This is the third failure, I believe, for this ice plant and we need to get to the bottom of these problems and ensure these types of catastrophic failures and not something that we’re dealing with in the future.”
The Bulldogs are under a 10-year contract with the City of Port Alberni, and Weber said language in the agreement “will be up for discussion” at a later time, in terms of costs associated with the move.
Priority for now has been finding a venue for the mid-week games, as well as a potential game six in Nanaimo on Saturday, April 26.
Weber praised the Clippers for working together on finding a solution.
“It’s no small feat to move a club on very little notice, but I noted that the Alberni Valley Bulldogs currently like the Clippers as much as an Alberni Valley Bulldog can like the Clippers. We’re always friends and partners off the ice in the BCHL, but what’s on the ice will come forward again next season.”
Tickets for the Nanaimo games go on sale Wednesday, April 16 online through the Bulldog’s website.
— with files from David Wiwchar, 93.3 The Peak
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