Pioneers score a bunch, draw few
Roger Varley
Although they won 9-2, it was not the opening the Uxbridge Pioneers were hoping for when they held their first home game on Pad 1 at the Uxbridge arena on Saturday night.
Despite earlier predictions of crowds numbering close to 600, fewer than 100 people turned out for Saturday's game against the Madoc Wildcats.
The Pioneers are members of a relatively new hockey league called the Ontario Super Hockey League, which features semi-pro players. However, people attending the game could not tell who the players were because there were no programs and no team rosters were made available.
Nor were fans able to keep track of penalties, because the penalty clock was not functioning. And, for some reason, with about 20 seconds remaining on the clock in the third period, the game just ended. The Pioneers were ahead 9-2, but there was no explanation why the game just ended. Also disconcerting was the fact that the officials wore advertising for Sleeman's Ale on the front of their jerseys and Domino's Pizza on the back.
Borden Bessette, who heads the Pioneer program, said the team has between four and seven members "from the Uxbridge area." He said the organization was put together in the last few weeks and has had trouble finding time at the arena for team practices. He said the team is looking at Innisfil as a possible practice site.
On the semi-pro issue, Bessette said the team covers some players' expenses, but added: "We don't want anyone just playing for money."
A plus for the team came on Monday when council voted to approve the team's sale of alcohol at the arena community centre during its home games, starting in January. Alcohol will be served in the first and second intermissions, with people being allowed to buy only four drink tickets.
Addressing the team's plan to have food sponsors provide food, Bessette said the service would not be in competition with the arena snack bar.
A visit to the team's website produced no schedule, no standings and little other information.