The Regina Pats are headed to the WHL eastern conference finals, which makes the team the hottest ticket in town.
Tickets went on sale at the box office in the Brandt Centre on Tuesday at noon, but hundreds of fans were already lined up hours before.
Longtime Pats fan Rick Pylatuk started lining up at 8:45 a.m. CT He was third in line.
“I wanted to make sure I got a ticket for sure. I love the Pats; I’ve been going since I was a little guy,” he said.
“I wasn’t going to be left out. No, this is too much.”
The Regina Pats confirmed that tickets were sold out at the box office and online under ten minutes.
Within hours, websites like Kijiji and Used Regina were showing resell tickets for as high as $100 a piece.
The Pats then tweeted out they were reviewing the Ticket Sales Act.
Restaurants and bars are also seeing an economic boost each as the Pats continue their playoff success.
Lancaster Taphouse co-owner Tim Rogers said the hockey hype is high right now, and it’s helped the struggling industry.
“The last year, the economy has been rough. The 0.4 (alcohol limit) is something bars and restaurants have felt. The PST thing was something too. It feels like there has been lots of little things that have chipped and chipped away at us.”
“It’s great to have something that’s like .. This is something that’s bringing people back and bringing people in.”
Rogers said on a typical Monday night, the business sees approximately about $2,000 to $3,000 more dollars.
The Pats success, along with five Canadian NHL teams making the playoffs has helped tremendously, he said.
“It’s super fun. We’ve had packed houses every game. We can see it’s building and building,” Rogers said.
The Regina Pats will play the winner of the series between the Medicine Hat Tigers and the Lethbridge Hurricanes. That game will be decided Tuesday night.
Round 3, game one will be played Friday night at the Brandt Centre.
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