The Maine Nordiques have been sold by Darryl Antonacci four years after he founded the junior hockey organization.

The North American Hockey League, to which the Nordiques belong, announced Friday in a news release posted on its website that its board of governors approved the “transfer of membership” of the Nordiques to new ownership group Shift Sports Entertainment, LLC.

According to Bizapedia.com, Shift Sports & Entertainment is based in Greer, South Carolina.

Darren Anderson, whom the NAHL release refers to as a spokesman for Shift Sports, said that the team will continue to be based in Lewiston and continue to play at The Colisee. The news release also states that the new ownership group will “execute a new five-year lease and retain current Colisee staff.”

Antonacci told the Sun Journal on Friday that he will remain the owner of The Colisee, which he purchased from Jim Cain in April 2020.

“We are thrilled to be part of the Maine Nordiques organization,” Anderson said in the news release. “Watching the Nordiques compete for an East Division championship solidifies how excited and committed we are to continue building on the success of the team and the academy program, and to providing the best possible experience for our fans and players.”

The Nordiques opened their East Divisional Final series Friday night at the Maryland Black Bears.

Anderson, according to the news release, is the owner and operator of Accu-Brick Paving Systems, a hardscape company based in Greenville, South Carolina. He also is the co-owner of a new hockey rink in Greer, South Carolina. He played minor and high school hockey in Ontario, then played junior hockey in Sudbury, Ontario, and in Niagara Falls, before playing at Iowa State University. He was inducted into Iowa State’s Cyclone Hockey Hall of Fame in 2015.

Sun Journal staff writer Nathan Fournier and sports editor Lee Horton contributed to this report.