AFTER NEARLY 300 DAYS, HOCKEY RETURNS TO VBC

Saturday night, the Huntsville Havoc won their first game since the cancelation of the SPHL season in March .

The pfizer vaccine.

Tonight was a night many had marked on their calanders for several months.

Hockey made its return to the rocket city as the huntsville havoc took to the ice for the first time since the s-p-h-l season was canceled in march.

Waay 31's max cohan joins us in studio after talking to fans about what it means to have hockey back and what's changed amid this pandemic, max?

For the first time in 294 days -- saturday was gameday for the havoc... do you know where you were 294 days ago?

I was in idaho and as it turns out some of you were at the last havoc game...those in attendance tonight said despite all the differences it was great to be back.

"it looks to me like they've done everything they can to make it safe and we feel pretty safe here."

On saturday night fans made their way into the v-b-c to watch the huntsville havoc's season opener against the knoxville ice bears.

It was the first time in nearly 300 days that the team had played.

Since then a lot has changed -- as coronavirus transformed our world...now hockey fans have to wears masks to enter the stadium and seats are harder to come by with attendance limited to only 37 percent capacity..

"you know, i'm just glad to be back, even though its a lot different.

Of course we got the previsions with the masks which is safe and of course we have the plexiglass."

Fans like patrick duryea who were at the last game said they had no idea that they wouldn't get to experience hockey again until late december.

"we were very devastated when they said, "we're done."

Season ticket holder linda mcclure knows this year will be different -- but said watching the havoc is one of the best things you can do right now and felt very lucky to be in attendance saturday.

"it'll be strange that there aren't as many people here, but we're willing to do whatever it takes just to be able to have hockey."

Tonight's game was the first of the havoc's 42 game schedule, later in sports -- we'll hear from the coach and have the highlights