ST. PAUL, Minn.— What lockout?

About 150 Minnesota Wild fans lined up at the Xcel Energy Center on Wednesday to buy tickets as they went on sale at 8 a.m.

Pat Vos of Minneapolis was the first to buy tickets for the season cut in half by the lockout. He had been in line since 8:30 a.m. Tuesday. About 20 other people spent the night inside the arena, waiting for the box office to open.

Like the rest of the Wild fans in line, the walkout did little to kill his enthusiasm. Vos says he’s just relieved hockey is back.

Vos bought tickets to three home games, including Saturday’s season opener versus the Colorado Avalanche. Team officials expect that game to sell out.