Blue Ridge Bobcat hockey opens new season with OT loss to Athens
Staff Report
Season two of Blue Ridge Bobcats hockey in Wytheville got underway Friday night with a 3-2 overtime loss to the Athens Rock Lobsters.
The Bobcats opened the new season with a two-game set Friday and Saturday against the Rock Lobsters. Game time tonight is 7:30 p.m.
The Bobcats play in the Hitachi Energy Arena (previously known as the Appalachian Regional Exposition Center or APEX Center) off I-81 near Fort Chiswell.
The arena is a multi-purpose sports and entertainment venue that seats 3,650 people for ice hockey and 5,000 for concerts and other events.
This past summer the Hitachi Energy Corp. – with a facility in Bland County – signed a five-year renaming agreement to create the Hitachi Energy Arena.
The agreement was followed by construction of 3,650 new seats in the arena, which officials say were built on a steeper incline for enhanced hockey viewing experience.
The Bobcats play in the Federal Prospects Hockey League (FPHL), a Single-A Minor professional hockey league which is divided into two seven-team divisions – Empire and Continental.
The Bobcats are part of the Continental Division along with the Rock Lobsters, Baton Rouge (La.) Zydeco, Carolina Thunderbirds (Winston-Salem), Columbus (Ga.) River Dragons, Mississippi (Biloxi, Miss.) Sea Wolves and Monroe (La.) Moccasins.
Empire Division entries include the Binghamton (N.Y.) Black Bears, Danbury (Conn.) Hat Tricks, Danville (Il.) Dashers, Hudson Valley (N.Y.) Venom, Motor City (Frasier, Mich.) Rockers, Port Huron (Mich.) Prowlers and Watertown (N.Y.) Wolves.
The FPHL is entering its 15th season.
Teams in the league play a 56-game regular season with games played mostly on Fridays and Saturdays.
Following the two-game set this week against Athens, the Bobcats will host the Carolina Thunderbirds next Friday and Saturday.
The Bobcats missed the playoffs last season, but are looking to rebound in their second season.
For ticket info call 276-355-2100 or visit www.blueridgebobcats.com