This winter’s boys’ hockey state championship games officially have a home.
Mike Burnham, the executive director of the Maine Principals’ Association, confirmed in an email to the Sun Journal this week that the Class A and Class B state finals will be held at Cross Insurance Arena in Portland on Saturday, March 12.
The arena will also host the Class A semifinals on Tuesday, March 8, according to the MPA hockey bulletin.
The games have moved to Portland from Lewiston because the MPA and The Colisee’s management couldn’t come to a financial agreement for hosting boys’ and girls’ playoff games at the 63-year-old arena this season.
The boys’ hockey state championship games have been at The Colisee in Lewiston since 1994.
Managers of The Colisee said in late December that the two sides couldn’t come to an agreement regarding ticket revenue. The Colisee wanted 20-30% of each $10 ticket sold by the MPA.
The Maine Nordiques, a junior team that is the arena’s primary tenant, have a home game against the New Jersey Titans scheduled for March 12.
The Nordiques and The Colisee are owned by Darryl Antonacci, who purchased the arena from Firland Management in March 2020.
Maine Nordiques General Manager Eric Soltys told the Sun Journal last month that there would be no further comment from The Colisee regarding the high school hockey state championships.
Burnham said earlier this week that he couldn’t offer further comment because the MPA is still finalizing some details.
The site for the Class B North final on March 9 is still listed as to be determined in the MPA bulletin.
Alfond Arena in Orono normally hosts the game.
Another playoff game that has been affected by the MPA and The Colisee not coming to an agreement is the Class B South final, which will be played March 9 at Troubh Ice Arena in Portland, according to the MPA bulletin.
The Class A quarterfinals and Class B South semifinals will now be at the home arena of the higher seeds on either March 4 or 5.
The Class B North semifinals, which have been at Colby College in years past, will be hosted by the higher seeds either March 4 or 5.
The girls’ state championship game, which has been in Lewiston since the MPA sanctioned the sport for the 2008-09 season, is also moving to Troubh Ice Arena and will be played on Feb. 19.
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