OROMOCTO — What was supposed to be a routine Saturday night shutdown at the Oromocto Civic Arena instead escalated into what team officials are now calling “a deeply inconvenient paranormal situation” after multiple Senators players reported that the building simply refused to go home once the fans did.
The incident began shortly after midnight, when the arena lights turned themselves back on, the Zamboni started idling without keys, and Sebastian Aho was allegedly spotted arguing with a locker-room bench that “wouldn’t stop breathing.”
According to team sources, the Senators had already wrapped up a normal practice earlier in the evening. No concerts were scheduled. No promotions were planned. The building, however, had other ideas.
“We heard skates on the ice,” said an arena security guard who asked not to be named because “this is not covered in my training.” “I opened the door and saw Kent Johnson stickhandling a puck that absolutely was not there.”
Johnson, later confirmed the event, adding that the invisible puck had “elite puck movement” and “felt very playoff-ready.”
Things escalated when faint music began echoing through the concourse. At first, staff assumed someone had left a Bluetooth speaker behind. That theory was quickly abandoned when a full three-piece band began playing what witnesses described as “early-2000s post-hardcore mixed with arena organ.”
The band, which no one could identify, set up near Section 112 and reportedly refused to stop playing until “someone acknowledged their creative journey.”
Mason McTavish attempted to shut the performance down but was blocked when the drummer levitated briefly and yelled, “THIS ONE’S FOR THE GOALIES.”
Spencer Knight, the Senators’ goaltender, was unmoved.
“I’ve faced worse,” Knight said calmly. “Also, they were off-beat.”
The most troubling development occurred at approximately 1:17 a.m., when the Zamboni began circling the ice on its own. Staff confirmed the keys were locked in the office, yet the machine completed three flawless laps before stopping at center ice.
According to defenseman Zach Werenski, the Zamboni then “paused, like it was thinking.”
Luke Hughes attempted to approach the machine but was stopped when it honked twice — a sound long believed to mean “respect the process.”
“It felt intentional,” Hughes said. “Honestly? Great edge control.”
As panic spread, reactions among players varied:
Sebastian Aho tried to negotiate with the building, offering a hat trick “next home game” if the lights turned off.
Cody Glass attempted to analyze the situation statistically and concluded the arena was “operating at 112% vibes.”
Justin Barron volunteered to fight the ghost, later admitting he had “no follow-up plan.”
Kent Johnson asked if the haunting was eligible for Calder consideration.
Meanwhile, Spencer Knight remained locked in, sitting silently in the crease, staring down whatever entity was responsible.
“At one point,” a teammate reported, “the ghost flinched.”
Team management released a brief statement at 3:42 a.m.:
“The Oromocto Senators are aware of unusual post-game activity at the arena. At this time, we do not believe the haunting affects player conditioning. Practices will continue as scheduled.”
When asked if the team would consult paranormal experts, management clarified they would “start with duct tape and see how far that gets us.”
The situation ended abruptly when the mysterious band played one final chord, the lights shut off, and the Zamboni parked itself neatly in the corner — freshly resurfaced ice included.
The only remaining evidence was a faint message carved into the fog on the locker-room mirror:
“FORECHECK HARDER.”
League officials have confirmed they are monitoring the situation closely but admitted there is “no existing protocol for spectral home-ice advantage.”
As for the players?
“We’re undefeated in haunted arenas, so the arena can't be haunted” McTavish said. “If the ghost wants season tickets, we’ll talk.”
The Oromocto Senators return to action Tuesday. Fans are encouraged to arrive early, leave calmly, and not acknowledge the band under any circumstances.
12/21/2025 - 622 words
