It’s a battle just to get a seat to watch the Battle of Alberta

The Battle of Alberta may be dividing provincial loyalties on the ice, but there’s a definite consensus when it comes to local eateries – the playoff series is good for business. 

Many places in Okotoks were hopping Wednesday night for the first game of the Western Conference semi-final that saw the Calgary Flames knock off the Edmonton Oilers 9-6 in the first playoff game between the archrivals in more than three decades. 

“We were psychotic, we were packed to the gills,” said Canadian Brewhouse manager Sunny Johal. “If the restaurant was double in size, we probably would have packed it. I ended up turning a lot of people away.” 

Johal said the restaurant would typically be busy on a Wednesday night, but the excitement the playoffs bring takes the atmosphere to a whole other level. 

“The thing about the Flames is, yes, we’re full, but it’s that everybody’s excited, everybody’s connected, everybody’s focused on the same thing. The energy is very different from a regular night. We’d be full anyways, but everybody’s not there just eating wings.” 

Johal said the restaurant runs promotions to help ramp up that excitement, including giving every table a puck with a corresponding jersey number that wins them a round if that player scores. 

“It hit me hard last night,” he joked about the high-scoring opener. “Some tables were getting second and third rounds.” 

The Canadian Brewhouse has also been giving away playoff tickets and has allowed the local BMX club to run a 50/50 draw during every Flames playoff game. Johal also jumps on the mic to rev up the crowd and talk a little smack to those wearing Oilers’ jerseys. 

As much as he wants the Flames to win every game, he wouldn’t be upset to see the series go seven games. 

“From a business standpoint, it wouldn’t be the worst thing if they lost three of them,” he said. 

Johanna Sexon, manager of the Boston Pizza, said the restaurant was full and guests were in a good mood as the hometown team jumped out to a big lead and then scored three more in the third to secure the victory. 

Sexon said sales from the series opener were double what a typical Wednesday night would be and reservations were already coming in for future game nights. 

Over at the Grand Central Bar & Grill, manager Virginia Saskatchewan said there was a really good turnout and everybody was happy with the result. 

“It was quite lively in here,” she said. “We actually got a lot of people we haven’t seen before as well, so it’s a lot of new customers. That’s fantastic. I can’t complain about that.” 

Saskatchewan, who is hoping the Flames can go all the way to the Stanley Cup final, said they were getting a lot of reservations the following day so people could secure a spot to watch the next game.