HOCKEY HITS WEST COAST; SIMI VALLEY ARENA HOSTS NATIONAL JUNIOR TOURNAMENT.

Byline: Patrick Hipes Daily News Staff Writer

Like a lot of the fans and players in town for the Junior B national hockey championships at Easy Street Arena, Mike York had only heard about Southern California.

``I'd flown over it once,'' said York, from Dearborn, Mich. ``On the way to Hawaii.''

A trip to Universal City and a two-hour bout with old fashioned rush-hour traffic not withstanding, York and his son Mike Jr., a defender for the Motor City Chiefs of the Central States Hockey League, have enjoyed their time in the area.

That's been the case for a majority of the 12 teams at Easy Street, all vying for the Junior title.

``It's beautiful here,'' York said. ``I knew I'd see ocean in California, but I didn't know you had mountains. I'm really impressed.''

Unfortunately, the Chiefs were less impressive, losing to the final-four bound Toledo Cherokee 3-1 to eliminate them from the tourney, which concludes today with a 7 p.m. championship game.

Still, the trip out West - the 1998 championships are the first ever hosted on the West coast - has been worth it for the teams, albeit a bit odd.

``It's weird to see a Zamboni parked outside, then look down the road and see a palm tree,'' said North Metro Owls defender Drew Eik, in town with his Minneapolis, Minn. teammates. ``But it's cool.''

Hockey may be the fastest-growing participation sport in the U.S., but to find it thriving so near the Pacific Ocean and so far from its Canadian roots does give room for pause.

Thanks, however, to the success of the Ventura Mariners since owner Sean McGillivray started the team in 1994, his self-built Easy Street Arena has blossomed. In all, according to marketing director John Parks, 500,000 people use the ice and 850 games (from youth to adult leagues) are played each year.

The pace increased last year when McGillivray successfully bid for the Junior Bs. The Nova Scotia native gave up his Mariners' coaching duties to son Sean Jr. to concentrate on preparation for the tournament.

``It's been hectic,'' McGillivray said Sunday from his office overlooking the Olympic rink. ``But it's been a great tournament. This is really good for hockey in California.''

There it is again. Hockey in California.

``I would never have dreamed of refereeing a game here,'' said 25-year-old Brian Johnson of Minneapolis. ``I didn't even know what a palm tree was. We only get to see pine trees.''

On Friday, the Mariners showed that West Coast hockey belongs on a national map that until a few years ago stretched only from the Eastern seaboard to the Mississippi River and all points north.

Though it finished 0-2-1 in pool play, Ventura played well before a supportive crowd of 850 before falling to New York Applecore. Two of the four teams in the Mariners' Western States Hockey League - Flagstaff and Fairbanks - made the tourney semifinals. In all, four teams from the WSHL made the tourney field.

``This place was packed,'' said Johnson, who worked the Mariners-Applecore game. ``It definitely had the national tournament atmosphere. The hockey's high-paced and each team has seen the trophy and wants to win it. It's great.''

It's not Montreal, but it's not bad.

JUNIOR B NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP

Who: Flagstaff-Toledo winner vs. Suffolk-Fairbanks winner

When: 7 o'clock tonight

Where: Easy Street Arena, 131 West Easy St., Simi Valley

Tickets: $7.50 adults, $5 children. Call [phone]

CAPTION(S):

Photo, Box

PHOTO East Metro Lakers players watch their team practice Thursday morning for the Junior B national hockey tournament in Simi Valley.

Tina Gerson/Daily News

BOX: JUNIOR B NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP (See text)