Hockey fans in the north's small markets should get the chance to watch the game's best young players compete, according to Western Hockey League commissioner Rob Robison.

Robison hopes the WHL regular-season showdown between the Kamloops Blazers and Vancouver Giants on Feb. 12 at Takhini Arena will be more than a one-shot showcase in the north.

He eluded to a continuing relationship with the WHL and the territories during a conference call with media Wednesday morning which included quips from Coach's Corner hosts Don Cherry and Ron MacLean of CBC's Hockey Night in Canada.

"Very much so,” Robison said when asked about the possibility of featuring more WHL games in the north.

"Not only in the Western Hockey League but certainly across the Canadian Hockey League, we'd be very interested in pursuing this again in the future. There are some challenges attached to having games outside of our venues, but I think that we all have a responsibility in promoting the game in this country and we'd be happy – and honoured, quite frankly – to be involved in the future if we get that opportunity.

"As far as any further opportunities, we're always open to them,” Robison added.

"We've played exhibition games in Yellowknife, and we've certainly had discussions about other opportunities to play outside of our … locations. So we're very receptive to that.”

The Giants sit atop the WHL's B.C. Division with 61 points while the Blazers find themselves in fourth with 47 points.

The two will clash for Scotiabank Hockey Day in Canada.

One thousand tickets for the game sold out in less than two hours at the beginning of December. One hundred and fifty tickets sold by phone to Yukon communities outside Whitehorse in less than 30 minutes.

Needless to say, the WHL game is the hottest ticket in town.

Robison said the Giants and Blazers are archrivals in the B.C. Division battling for playoff positions.

The game will be available on the WHL site and will be streamed on www.cbcsports.ca, as well as on the local cable channel (channel 9) with play-by-play from the Kamloops Blazers.

Joel Darling, director of production for CBC Sports, said the WHL game will not appear live on CBC because of the Toronto Maple Leafs and Montreal Canadiens game being played at the same time.

"The game really will be the backdrop of what we do,” Darling said. "We will cover the opening ceremony of the (WHL) game and then we will be doing highlights of the game into the Toronto-Montreal game, and as well it will be the backdrop for Coaches Corner and Hot Stove in the second intermission.

"And again, it will be available inside the Canada Games Centre, where Scotiabank and Air North have teamed up for a skating party that will take place from 4 o'clock to 7 o'clock – the game will be available there, as well as the Toronto-Montreal game.”

Choosing the venue for the WHL game posed a dilemma for organizers in November, when the Canada Games Centre was announced as the first choice.

After public outcry over limited seating at the Games Centre, however, the Local Organizing Committee (LOC) and CBC Sports decided to move the game to Takhini Arena – which has a seating capacity of roughly 1,500.

"The WHL is great hockey, and we've had a lot of people that really want to see this game, and we've had to turn a lot of people away,” LOC chairman Walter Brennan said.

The Takhini Arena also poses another challenge: low plexiglass.

Robison said discussions are ongoing to modify delay of game penalties.

"We're dealing with a facility that will have some challenges; but on the other hand, we're just delighted to be there and we'll make the best of it,” Robison said. "It's an outstanding facility, the Takhini Arena, and we're going to look forward to playing there. But we will probably have to make some adjustments in some of the rules.”