Greg Pocock places Player name in new locker room – photo 250News

Prince George, B.C.- It’s the 3^rd period, as tonight’s the night  when EDGEPRo, the new owners of the Prince George Cougars will get to see if all  the efforts to  herald a New Ice Age are having an impact.

The clock is ticking towards the season home opener, and  the pre game events  are aimed  at the fans, who  the New Ice Age has dubbed “The Fifth Line”.

It promises to be an evening of hockey, of music, of food, and of  celebration of the past as well as setting the stage for the future.

The evening starts at 5:00 with a bar-b-q outside the CN Centre, food will be available by donation, with all proceeds to go to the BC Children’s Hospital.

But that’s not all.

The Celtic band, Out of Alba, will provide a free concert for fans attending the bar-b-q, serenading from their stage on the roof of the CN Centre from 5:30 – 6:30.

“Since day one, we’ve promised that we would provide our fans with an experience that they’ve never seen before in Prince George” says the Cougars VP-Business Andy Beesley, “and we can’t wait to make that a reality.”

Beesley won’t give up all the details of the events planned for tonight, but told 250News fans can expect to  see some of the favourite events from the 90’s which leads us to speculate that we just might see the motorized puck back on the ice during an intermission, its driver  shooting t-shirts into the stands. Or maybe it will be the return of the ‘blimp’ that circled the  rink, dropping envelopes stuffed with  gift coupons into the  stands.

We do know the ceremonial puck drop that will officially kick off this first season of the New Ice Age, will involve a former Cougar who made it to the NHL and has since retired from professional hockey.

Beesley doesn’t want fans to risk missing any one of the elements of  this opening night,  and has been urging  fans to pick up their tickets early so they  aren’t standing in line, when they should be  enjoying all that the Cougars have to offer on the ice  in the pre-game events and the first period of action.

Another fan favourite that is returning is the post game show.  It will be hosted behind section Q and will  feature Coach Holick and a player of his choice.

“We can’t wait to hear how loud it will get in the CN Centre when the Cougars take to the ice for the first time” says Beesley.  There was a time when visiting teams cringed at playing  in the Cougars’ rink, the fans were so loud  there were occasions when a visiting coach had to take his players off the bench and  under the stands to bark out  plays during a time out. The fans were so  impactful,  MasterCard produced a commercial  at the CN Centre….priceless.

The ownership has gone out of its way to put in the foundation  for a winning  team.  There is no  kidding when  it’s said this group has been building from the ground up  as  the owners have embarked not only on  player development, but  improved infrastructure.

From new fiber optic cables to new plumbing, major dressing room renovations, upgrades to the therapy room, a revamped  office for the assistant coaches and the coach,  major  efforts to  treat each player like the NHL players they want to be a, new work out area for the team, even  new laundry facilities so the job of cleaning the gear  can be done  more efficiently, there  has been no  expense spared. “You don’t get into this kind of venture for the money” says EDGEPRo President Greg Pocock,  “You do it because you are passionate about the game.”

EDGEPRo’s passion for the game will be on display tonight,  with hopes the Fifth Line will do its part and  show its support for the young men on the ice  who are living their dream.   “This team has the ability to unify the community and really  do a lot of positive things” says Pocock, “We’re just really proud of that.”