Whitefish may get Nor-Pac hockey club

The Northern Pacific Hockey league announced this week the conference will expand to 14 teams in 2011-12 with the likely addition of clubs in Whitefish and Great Falls.

Whitefish's team will be called the Whitecaps, and Great Falls will be the Americans.

Both teams would play in the America West division with the Billings Bulls, Bozeman Ice Dogs, Butte Roughriders, Helena Big Horns, Mis-soula Maulers and Yellowstone Quake.

Butch Kowalka, of Kali-spell, is the founder and owner of the new Whitefish club. He was unavailable for comment as of press time.

The league features up-and-coming junior players between the ages of 16 and 20 who are looking to earn college scholarships or professional contracts. Players are housed with local families, which receive a stipend for providing food and transportation.

The league's 48-game regular season goes from September to February, with most games played on Friday and Saturday nights.

The Whitefish Pilot will continue to follow this story as more information becomes available.