The Moncton Wildcats and Halifax Mooseheads are tied at two games apiece in their second round QMJHL playoff series and while neither team will technically be skating on home ice for game five, the Wildcats could still have a home crowd advantage.

The Wildcats home arena, the Moncton Coliseum, had a scheduling conflict, so the team was forced to look elsewhere for a place to play their playoff game.

The league made the decision to move the game to Fredericton, as none of the other arenas in Moncton met major junior standards.

Fredericton has seen pre-season Q-League action in recent years, but nothing as consequential as a playoff game.

“A playoff game is always more exciting than pre-season games, but we have to hand it to the university here for the type of hockey, the caliber of hockey that we're used to seeing here and I'm hoping that that's what we'll see tomorrow night,” says hockey fan John Wride.

The Aitken Centre has been home to one of the most dominant university hockey programs in Canada for almost two decades. Before that, The American Hockey League was a tenant, twice.

By the time the box office opened Thursday morning, more than 250 people were in line, hundreds of others were online trying to score tickets.

In less than an hour, 1,600 available tickets sold out and those who were lucky enough to get tickets say they are excited for the chance to see some Q-League action.

“You know, you've got NHL prospects coming tomorrow night and it's a good opportunity for the Fredericton area to see some of the best up and coming,” says hockey fan Sandy Sutherland.

Busloads of Moncton and Halifax fans will make the trip to the capital city to support their team, but it remains to be seen which road team the hometown fans will adopt.

 

With files from CTV Atlantic's Andy Campbell