STRIKE BOOSTS ATTENDANCE AT HEAT GAME
First School Day event draws huge crowd thanks to teachers’ strike
ABBOTSFORD — No school. No teachers. No problem – well, for one day at least.
The Abbotsford Heat’s inaugural School Day morning home game against the Houston Aeros went as scheduled Tuesday, even with teachers on strike for a second consecutive day.
Playing in front of their largest crowd of the season — 5,802 fans, mostly school- aged kids out of class because of the strike — the Heat dropped a 7- 6 American Hockey League shootout decision in a sloppy but entertaining morning tilt at the Abbotsford Entertainment and Sports Centre.
The Heat coughed up four different leads, including one with 23 seconds remaining in regulation, and also battled back from a two- goal deficit in the second period in an effort that didn’t sit well with Abbotsford coach Troy Ward.
“I thought the end was very fitting,” said Ward. “The way we managed the game, I didn’t think we deserved even a point.”
Ben Walter, Clay Wilson and Hugh Jessiman each had threepoint games for the Heat, while goalie Leland Irving was pulled in the second period after allowing five goals on 20 shots.
Joe Fallon, who started for Houston, was worse. He allowed three goals on four shots and was yanked before the end of the first period.
Fallon’s backup, Matt Keetley, who spent the better part of two seasons in Abbotsford, was credited with the win. On loan from the ECHL’S Bakersfield Condors, Keetley gave up three goals on 16 shots in relief, but made three stops in four shootout chances.
The single point proves pivotal at this juncture of the season for Abbotsford. The Heat moved into fourth in the AHL West Conference, and would host the Chicago Wolves, affiliate of the Canucks, on home ice in the first round of the Calder Cup playoffs, if they were to begin today.
Despite the loss, talk of the large crowd and the teachers’ strike still lingered.
The Heat originally partnered with the Abbotsford School District to allow 4,000 local middle school students to attend Tuesday’s game. However, plans changed when the B. C. Teachers’ Federation announced last week it would carry out a threeday strike, beginning Monday.
As a result, the Heat opened up the game to all students and parents, both in and outside of the district. And the fans showed up in droves, compared to what attendance has been like at times this season, and throughout the team’s three- year existence in Abbotsford.
The organization has been maligned in the past, as has the City of Abbotsford, for a combined $ 1.7- million shortfall in two seasons that city taxpayers are on the hook for. The main reason for the shortfall has been below- average attendance.
Before Tuesday, the Heat this season have registered just six crowds of 4,000 or more spectators — in a building that holds 7,500 for hockey — and were averaging 3,448 fans per game, the second- lowest figure in the AHL.
“We don’t usually play in front of a lot of people, so it was good to have a bunch of kids here and a bunch of people who could get away from … their normal day and watch a hockey game,” said Ward.
The game also allowed parents a chance to provide at least one day’s activities while kids were out of school.
“Abbotsford is a small place, and this is a nice thing to do with your kids when you otherwise wouldn’t have a chance to,” said Abbotsford mom Robyn Unger.
School Day games have already proven successful in AHL markets of San Antonio and Toronto, and Heat president Ryan Walter said his franchise will schedule more in upcoming seasons.
“The School Day game is going to be something we do for the rest of our existence,” said Walter. “When the teachers elected to [ go on strike], we thought we should open it wide open. We’re very pleased with the turnout.”