The Kenai River Brown Bears will move hockey operations back to the Midwest for the playoffs, the North American Hockey League team announced in a Sunday press release.
The Brown Bears, the No. 4 seed out of the Midwest Division, will face the top-seeded Janesville (Wisconsin) Jets in a best-of-five series, starting Friday and Saturday at 4:05 p.m. AKDT in Janesville. This will be the team’s first playoff berth since 2014. Kenai River, which began play in the 2007-08 season, also will be looking for the first playoff series win in franchise history.
According to an email from the team, Games 3 and 4 (if necessary) will be at 4 p.m. AKDT at the Super Rink in Blaine, Minnesota, on May 28 and 29, though this is subject to change.
Game 5, if necessary, will be at 2 p.m. AKDT in Janesville on May 31.
The Brown Bears started their season with hockey operations based in the Midwest because travel to and from Alaska would have been too difficult due to the coronavirus pandemic.
In February, the Soldotna City Council removed a major barrier for the team’s return when it adopted a resolution that said the spectator limit at the Soldotna Regional Sports Complex would be raised to 750 when the central peninsula’s 14-day COVID-19 numbers did not put the region at the “high” risk level.
The resolution also requires everyone in the sports complex to wear masks at all times, including coaches. Athletes and game officials do not need to wear masks when on the ice, which includes penalty and team benches, nor do people who are eating or drinking.
The Bears returned to the Soldotna Regional Sports Complex for an April 23 game against the Chippewa (Wisconsin) Steel. The April 23, 24 and 25 games against the Steel, plus April 29, 30 and May 1 games against the Jets, were played with a spectator limit of 250 because the central peninsula was at high risk.
With the central peninsula moving to a medium risk level, Friday and Saturday games against the Fairbanks Ice Dogs were played with a spectator limit of 750.
The Bears said in a press release that implementing and enforcing the COVID-19 protocols and mask mandates imposed by the city of Soldotna was tough on the organization.
“It is unfortunate, but the climate at our games has been extremely difficult to manage,” said Nate Kiel, Brown Bears president, in a released statement. “We are in a very difficult situation, where we are under pressure to enforce the mandate and protocols set by the city, while at the same time finding it increasingly difficult to convince fans to comply.”
At Wednesday’s Soldotna City Council meeting before the Ice Dogs series, council member Jordan Ruffridge said increasing the spectator limit at Brown Bears games may create more work for Soldotna’s Parks and Recreation Department and the Brown Bears, who would need to enforce COVID-19 mitigation protocols in a larger crowd.
“There’s a concern even with the little bit of people currently attending the games that that is seeming to be a difficult task,” Ruffridge said about the six games played with a spectator limit of 250. “How much greater will that problem be if we go up to a larger number of people?”
Kiel said in the release that it is tough to move playoff games out of Soldotna.
“While we hoped to allow our fans, especially the hundreds of youth who normally attend, to watch playoff hockey in our hometown, it is irresponsible and unrealistic for us to continue under these expectations,” Kiel said in a released statement. “The city has mandated several contingencies for our games, including the wearing of masks at all times, except when consuming food or beverages, as well as social distancing, unless with immediate household members.”
Chris Hedlund, general manager, said in the release that any fans, billets, parents and supporters who will be in Minnesota will have the first opportunity to purchase tickets. Hedlund said those looking for tickets should contact the Bears Den for more information.
