Tim Ruhnke – Recorder & Times
They were back on the indoor ice Monday.
Arenas in Ontario reopened, after the provincial order closing certain facilities and businesses because of the COVID-19 surge ended after three-and-a-half weeks. Most junior and minor hockey teams and skating programs have been inactive since they started their Christmas and holiday breaks a few days early in mid-December.
It’s the return of the Wednesday night home game for the Brockville Tikis; the Jr. B team will take on the Perth Blue Wings at the Memorial Centre at 7:45.
Brockville (5-12-1) is tied for last place in the EOJHL’s Richardson Division. The Tikis have played the fewest games in the 16-team league.
The Athens Aeros will play a home-and-home with the Packers this weekend. The opener is in Arnprior Friday night; the rematch is set for Centre 76 on Sunday afternoon.
The Aeros (12-11) are in fourth place in the division.
Some EOJHL teams had 10 or 11 of their games postponed in December and January.
“All the owners are committed to playing the rest of the regular season and throughout the playoffs to crown a champion,” the league stated in a recent release.
Athens and Brockville now have games scheduled into March with the regular season being extended.
“All EOJHL players, coaches and support staff have all been double vaccinated to keep us as safe as possible from COVID,” the league stated.
As for the CCHL, the Brockville Braves’ first game of 2022 will be in Cornwall on Thursday night. The Jr. A Braves will then host Kemptville at the Memorial Centre on Friday night.
Brockville (18-8-0-2) is third overall in the 12-team CCHL. The Jr. A league plans to complete its full 55-game regular season schedule in early April.
That means the Braves face playing 27 times in 60 days. Two other teams in the CCHL will have to play 30 to hit the full 55.
The limit on spectators at arenas in Ontario is 50 per cent of capacity or 500, whichever is less. The 500-person limit for larger venues will be dropped on Feb. 21, according to the provincial government. All indoor capacity limits are to be lifted in mid-March.
Face masks are required. Eating and drinking while seated is permitted inside arenas. Canteens that had temporarily been closed may reopen.
In accordance with a provincial order, anyone above the age of 12 is required to show a proof-of-vaccination QR code and government-issued ID when entering arenas in Ontario. Municipal staff in Brockville will scan QR codes, check ID and have guests fill out contact tracing sheets, according to the city.
Spectators are to arrive no more than 30 minutes before a game.
Original Story at Recorder.ca