West Lorne won Hockeyville contest, goal St. Thomas gets Maple Leafs game

West Lorne’s Kraft Hockeyville prize is coming to . . . St.Thomas.

Along with $250,000 for upgrades to their aging arena and $10,000 in youth hockey equipment as winners of the annual Canada-wide contest, the community of 1,500 southwest of London received a pre-season NHL hockey game.

However, for “logistical reasons,” officials with the NHL say the game between the Toronto Maple Leafs and the Buffalo Sabers, slated for Wednesday, Sept. 27, won’t be in West Lorne, but will be played in St. Thomas at Joe Thornton Community Centre, named after the retired local NHLer.

The West Lorne rink, the home of the Comets, only has a seating capacity of 377 and its dimensions are smaller than a regulation NHL rink. The St. Thomas rink, formerly known as the Timken Centre, has seating for 2,200 fans and standing room for 300 more.

West Lorne has a growing minor hockey association, but the rink is in dire need of some upgrades. The Hockeyville prize money will go towards a new front entrance, new dressing rooms and a bigger warm space for fans.

West Lorne beat out three other communities for the big prize – Maple Ridge, BC, St. Anne, Man., and Saint-Anselme, Que. – through online voting. The win was announced by NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman on Hockey Night in Canada at the end of March.