By Mark LaFlamme,Staff Writer

LEWISTON – National Hockey League? What National Hockey League?

On Wednesday, the day professional hockey was officially pronounced dead, local fans were getting their fix the same way they have all season: at a Lewiston Maineiacs game.

“This is better than switching on the TV and watching hockey that way,” said 44-year-old Jim Allarie. “You come here, you forget you’re watching kids. These guys still play out of their hearts rather than their wallets.”

Hockey fans were generally disgusted with NHL players who have been bargaining for higher salaries. The dispute between players and owners ground on into the season, and no games have been played. On Wednesday, the remainder of the season was canceled.

“It’s too bad it had to come to that, but it’s about making money,” said Roger Gagnon, a man in his 50s who described himself as a lifelong hockey fanatic. “I think the owners have to take control.”

Like others, Gagnon said he misses professional hockey. But the Montreal Canadiens fan said he won’t boycott the NHL next season out of frustration. He’s happy to enjoy the Maineiacs and wait another year for the pros to skate again.

“They’ll be back next year,” Gagnon said from his seat not far from the blue line at the Colisee. “And we’ve got hockey right here. We have season tickets. We even follow the team when they go on the road.”

“I miss it, but this is our local hockey fix,” said Gagnon’s wife, Sue.

Many local fans worry that the cancellation of the NHL season may have collateral damage. Because of the ongoing strike, some junior hockey players may miss the chance to advance to the pros because the draft is also out for the remainder of the season.

When the NHL Players Association would not budge from its final offer of a $49 million salary cap, that was it. The season was down for the count. And disgruntled fans tended to blame player greed on that misfortune.

“It just seems like these athletes are getting way overpaid for what we view as a child’s game,” said 35-year-old Andre Levesque.

“And they’re still making more money than if they were driving a truck or digging ditches,” Allarie said. “We’re getting cheated out of watching the NHL and the kids aren’t going to get drafted. They need to do whatever it takes to get the game back on. These people have to realize they’re not going to make the kind of money the NBA or professional baseball and football players make.”

It was a sellout crowd at the Colisee Wednesday night as the Maineiacs took on Sidney Crosby and the Rimouski Oceanic. Hockey fans grumbled a little about the strike, but they were almost smug. With semi-pro hockey in their back yard, they no longer felt like slaves to the NHL or the Portland Pirates of the American Hockey League.

“I haven’t missed a game. I’m a fanatic,” said 45-year-old Kathy Tardiff, who wore her Maineiacs jersey to Wednesday night’s game. “I’d rather come here than see the Pirates any time.”

By the time the puck was dropped to start the first period, talk about lockouts and salary disputes came to a halt. Maineiacs fans were into the game being played by teenagers on the ice just yards away. They would miss seeing the the best players in the world play on national television, but they could get by without it.

“I still sleep at night,” Levesque said.