Tickets are still available but the Victoria Royals are expecting a sold-out crowd by tonight's opening faceoff at 7 p.m. for their Western Hockey League 2012-13 home curtain-raiser against the Vancouver Giants.
Dropping that ceremonial first puck at SaveonFoods Memorial Centre will be Brian Price, who coxed the Elk Lake-based Canadian men's rowing eight to the silver medal at the 2012 London Summer Olympics to follow up his gold medal from the 2008 Beijing Games.
Belting out O Canada tonight will be the most famous anthem singer in the province - Mark Donnelly of Vancouver Canucks' pre-game renown. Donnelly will also be signing autographs and available for pictures in the front foyer during the firstperiod break.
Victoria is known as a late walk-up town but fans are being advised to arrive early to avoid line-ups at the box office if they have not pre-purchased tickets.
Last year's home opener, also against the Giants, was sold-out at 7,006 but had the added historic significance of being the first-ever Royals regular-season game at the Memorial Centre following the move of the former Chilliwack Bruins franchise to the capital.
