Weighted lottery for Canucks’ pre-season tickets at Q Centre

Less than 400 tickets available for residents outside Saanich Peninsula

Luck will have to be on your side if you hope to land one of the hottest tickets in town next month.

When the Vancouver Canucks host the San Jose Sharks on Sept. 21, at the Q Centre in Colwood, 376 of the arena’s 2,300 seats will be raffled off to people who live outside the Saanich Peninsula.

Peninsula residents earned the right to host the NHL pre-season game by winning the 2015 Kraft Hockeyville challenge.

However, the Panorama Recreation Centre in North Saanich holds about 500 fans and was deemed too small to accommodate an NHL game. Panorama will receive $100,000 in upgrades for winning the competition and residents of Central Saanich, North Saanich and Sidney are entitled to enter a raffle for 788 tickets.

The remaining seats will be filled by Saanich Peninsula minor hockey players and officials.

To try and win a pair of tickets, you’ll need to go to the Panorama rec centre, 1885 Forest Park Dr., North Saanich, during one of the following times:

• Saturday, Aug. 29, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

• Saturday, Sept. 5, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

• Sunday, Sept. 6, noon to 6 p.m.

You need to be at least 19 and show photo ID.

Residents of the Saanich Peninsula must also show proof of residence.

The draw will be held on Sept. 9 and winners will be posted on the rec centre’s website and announced on Sept. 10 inside the arena. The puck drops at 7:30 p.m., Sept. 21, at the Q Centre, which has a total capacity of about 2,780 when standing room and temporary seats are included.

Saanich Peninsula residents won the right to named Kraft Hockeyville for 2015 by recording more online votes than any other Canadian city.

For more information about Panorama Recreation Centre, including contest details, go to crd.bc.ca/panorama.

editor@goldstreamgazette.com

Goldstream News Gazette