J's World: Spirit fans lose

A first-round playoff series between the Wasilla Spirit and Fairbanks Ice Dogs is all knotted up at 1-1, with both teams showing the ability to move on to round two. Wasilla may win the first playoff series in the history of its franchise. But Spirit fans have already lost.

It's arguably the most important game the first-year Mat-Su Valley hockey franchise has had the opportunity to host, and it will not even be held in the Valley. The Curtis C. Menard II Memorial Ice Arena had been the home of the Spirit for the entire regular season. But a scheduling conflict with the Wasilla Multi-Use Sports Complex is preventing the Spirit from taking the ice on their home rink when they take on the Ice Dogs in game three of the best-of-five series tonight. Instead, the Spirit have been forced to opt for the Subway Center, and fans must make the trek to the South Anchorage facility in order to see the team play.

The Spirit have to settle for less-than home ice advantage, because there is literally no home-ice to play on. Following Wasilla's regular- season finale on March 24, Wasilla Multi-Use Sports Complex officials removed the ice in preparation for the Mat-Su Home Show it hosted last weekend. Now, sports complex officials say, there was not enough time to reconstruct the rink prior to this weekend's series.

But I have to believe there was a way to get it done.

The city of Wasilla needs to step in and take ownership of the team that bears its name, and that was not done. It is not the Mat-Su Spirit, it is the Wasilla Spirit. And Wasilla needs to take responsibility for its team. The first-year franchise is struggling to build a consistent fan base. What could be more detrimental than forcing the franchise's first postseason game to a rival city?

The use of the Wasilla Multi-Use Sports Complex is integral to the survival of the Spirit in the Valley. But the Spirit also play a key role to the future success of the facility. There is potential in this market to pack the house every night. But that's not an overnight process. It's something that has to be built. Part of that process relies on the success of the team on the ice - the number of wins. But the other part rests on the shoulders of those who helped bring this team to Wasilla. It's the responsibility of those who fought to name this team the Wasilla Spirit, and not the more sensible Mat-Su Spirit.

Spirit and sports complex officials have been dealing with this problem for the last five weeks. But this is a problem someone should have noticed before the first puck at a Spirit game was even dropped in the Menard Arena.

Now, the lack of effort to reward the team, the fans, the city and the hockey community with the playoff series could create significant problems. What about the fans and the corporate sponsors who have supported this franchise throughout a roller-coaster first season?

Just like the Spirit players, the supporters deserve a true home playoff game.

Jeremiah Bartz is the Frontiersman sports editor