CREMONA - The Cremona Coyotes hockey team will be making its home debut at the Cremona Ag Society Community Arena on Saturday evening against the Stony Plain Eagles.
The team is the latest addition to the revived three-team AAA senior men's Chinook Hockey League, which also includes the Innisfail Eagles.
The Coyotes joined the league this season, playing their first few games in Innisfail.
After negotiations to make Carstairs the team’s home arena didn’t pan out, the team approached the Cremona & District Agricultural Society about making the newly refurbished Cremona arena the team’s home rink.
“Officially we were the Coyotes, but now that we have a hometown we are the Cremona Coyotes,” said team president, general manager and player Patrick Gillies, whose hometown is Carstairs. “From now on our home games are at the Cremona arena.”
The Chinook Hockey League has players 18 years of age and older.
The Coyotes have players from across the region, including from Red Deer, Calgary and elsewhere, he said.
The Coyotes are hoping to make Saturday’s first-ever home game also the team’s first-ever win in the league, he said.
“We are 0-3 right now, but as a learning curve against teams that have been in the league for many years we are doing alright,” he said.
Saturday’s game starts at 8 p.m., with a warm-up a half hour earlier at 7:30.
“We are hoping for a good turnout and some good hockey for the fans,” he said. “The ag society has been great. The arena looks really nice. Good boards and glass and ice.”
As for the long-term plans of the team, a decision will be made at the end of the 2022-23 season in February on whether to stay in Cremona, he said.
“We are going to have talks with the ag society about having another season there,” he said.
Cremona’s next home game after Saturday’s match is Dec. 17.
