My hockey pilgrimage thread!

[AWACSooner]

Ok, so I've dropped this thread for a bit...been busy.

 

I didn't get to Chicago last season due to a last minute TDY to Peru..so we're going to knock that on out next Saturday (Hawks vs Isles).  But I did get to the Kings vs. Canes (where I got to see my first Carolina road win) and San Jose (yah, we won't go there, as that place is a freaking house of horrors for us).

 

Long story short, both experiences (other than finally seeing the boys win on the road) were average...2.5 out of 5 for both.

 

On Saturday night, we crossed off 19 out of 31...Vegas.

 

All I can say is...Wow!  For starters the pregame experience...for a city that prides itself on entertainment, the theatrics are insane.  From their drumline (called the "Knight Line") to the opening entry for the team before they take the ice (a huge "sword in the stone" show), it's one line of entertainment after another.  However, they get docked points because they sound a storm siren before every...single...period.  And since they're not the Hurricanes...FOUL!  Also, they need to turn the volume down a bit on the intra-play music...some of us need our hearing for our jobs

 

Props to the Edmonton fans in the crowd...the arena was probably 50/50 Edmonton/Vegas.  They saw my Canes hat, and I could see the tears building up from the 2006 SCF They did, however, sing O Canada loudly, then sing the Star Spangled Banner just as loudly.

 

Unique food?  Well, they have a sushi burrito, which has got to be the most original arena food I've ever seen.

 

Overall, a 4 out of 5!

 

 

 

Chicago next Saturday...then Raleigh next Sunday...see y'all there.

[AWACSooner]

Well, we knocked off Chicago two weeks ago...20 January...vs the Isles.  Unfortunately, the Blackhawks decided not to help us out in the conference standings that night.

 

However, I was pleasantly surprised by the arena, atmosphere, and the fans.  It's no secret that I think of the Blackhawks as the Evil Empire of the Western Conference...and my expectations for this game were set low due to its proximity to St. Louis.  Only being able to afford "Standing Room Only" tickets...because even the nosebleed seats were going for $165 APIECE on stubhub...we parked over by the east end of the SRO section.  A few gracious Chicago fans...probably taking pity on my daughter...offered us two empty seats in the last row...so we could at least rest the feet a bit.  The arena is actually one of the cleanest and sharpest I've been to.  The fans actually weren't nasty to the random Isles fans in the crowd (probably because the Hawks were getting destroyed on the ice).  I'll give it a 4.25 out of 5...because it's still the Evil Empire of the West!

 

We flew to Raleigh the next day to catch the Vegas game...you can see the GDT for the rest 

But it still was worth it to get the family pic with Stormy at Center Ice afterwards.

Special thanks to Manwolf for stopping by and saying hello.

 

Next month, it's off to Detroit to re-hack the Red Wings, since they changed venues...