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Win the best seats in the house

Oceanside Generals have a new plan to attract fans to the rink
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The Best Seats in the House promotion is part of the Generals’ push to create an entertaining

When Oceanside's Save On Foods Generals take to the ice at Meeker Arena Saturday night for their Vancouver Island Jr. Hockey League regular season home opener, two lucky fans will be enjoying the game from the best seats in the house.

Best seats as in two plush recliners on a raised platform located up top next to the announcers booth at centre ice.

“They're awesome seats,” Generals’ GM Dave Johnston said on Wednesday when The News stopped by.

And that they are.

As part of their ‘Best Seats In The House’ promotion, made possible by Coombs Junction Furniture owner Perry Gallagher, anyone buying a program at the start of any Generals home game will have their number put in a draw for a chance of one of the two seats up for grabs.

The winning numbers get to sit in the recliners for the entire game and are also treated to some Panago Pizza during the first intermission.

The recliners, which would retail for around $1,000 for both, will be a feature at the Generals' home games all season.

Gallagher, a big hockey fan and regular supporter of local clubs, has donated the recliners outright, and Johnston said the team will be auctioning them off at the end of the season as a fund-raiser for the community owned club.

“It just falls into everything we're trying to do here,” said Johnston, adding “we want to create a better game night atmosphere. We want to create an interactive, entertaining and fun night out for our fans.

“Perry's a super-nice guy, and I love the fact he's over the top enthusiastic about getting involved with us,” said Johnston, adding “it’s just great to have another quality corporate sponsor on board.”

As for the product on the ice, returning towering D-Man Josef Chase said he and his teammates can’t wait to get it going.

“For sure,” he said easily. Asked for some insight into this year's squad which is being led by new head coach Jason Dubyna, Chase, 6'5", said “we're not as, um, bruising as we were last year... we’re still physical, but we have a lot more skill and finesse.”