Canadiens to face Senators in Elsipogtog Hockeyville game

It may be a bit later than expected, but Elsipogtog First Nation now knows the teams that will play during Hockeyville celebrations in the community.

The Ottawa Senators will be facing the Montreal Canadiens at a preseason game in October in Bouctouche.

Elsipogtog became Hockeyville in 2021. However the game, which was supposed to have been held that fall, had to be postponed due to the COVID-19 epidemic.

Two major setbacks were suffered by the First Nation’s hockey team before they were crowned Hockeyville last winter. 

The first occurred in September 2020 after a fire at a local rink caused severe damage, rendering it inoperable.

The second occurred in April 2021 when Craig Sock died, a band councillor who was instrumental in the Hockeyville bid. He was killed when the lobster boat he was on capsized off Nova Scotia.

Seth Monahan was a second crewmember who died in hospital.

The game will be held at the J.K. Irving Centre in Bouctouche on Oct. 8.

In addition to the right to host the game, Elsipogtog also received $250,000 in rink upgrades and $100,000 in youth hockey equipment.

Elsipogtog has become the second New Brunswick community to win the Hockeyville contest. The first was Renous, which won in 2019.