Yellowknife (Sep 24/04) - Hockey has gone a long way towards helping the Yellowknife Boston Pizza become the ninth busiest location in the 180-restaurant chain.

But even with the National Hockey League and its players association still at loggerheads on the labour front, the sports bar's owner/operator isn't scared his customers will vanish like this year's hockey season.

"We were always full for Hockey Night in Canada -- that's 140 hockey fans," said Jeromy Ball, sitting in a quiet corner of his downtown establishment.

He said there are lots of other sports regularly drawing big crowds.

"We had a lot of people show up for Monday Night Football," he said.

Server Shannon Warner, on the other hand, says he has a lot to lose if the lock-out drags on for very long.

"On Saturdays, or anytime the Oilers are on, I can make well over $100 in tips," he said. "And tips are everything, I probably make more in tips than I do in wages."

Despite the lack of NHLers on the big screens, it hasn't hit him in the wallet yet and he's confident it won't.

"Lunches, I can work a 12 to 5 p.m. shift and clear $95 in tips," he said. "We're busy at lots of times."

Warner is more upset on a personal level as a hockey fan.

"I'm not impressed we're going to end up watching farm team hockey rather than the real thing," he said. "I'm a Montreal Canadiens fan."

While Ball isn't worried about his business, he's not going into the lock-out without anything to fill the entertainment void left by the absence of the NHL.

"On the first Saturday of every month, for example, we're going to have a Karaoke contest starting Oct. 2," said the bar owner. "We're also going to show junior or European hockey games and hold Golden Tees tournaments."

He said the lock-out could also give other sports -- those which usually take a backseat to Canada's favourite game -- a turn in the spotlight.

"If there are any fans that have suggestions about what sports they'd like to see on our 16 screens, they just have to give us a call and we can make it happen," he said. "We do sports -- it's our thing."