J and I took a friend's son to see his first hockey game Friday night. JM is from South Carolina, where there is not a whole lot of hockey, but has been sports exposed enough to know about Sidney Crosby. BM has seen professional hockey before, but the Columbus Blue Jackets actually make the Penguins look competent, so watching a game in Mellon Arena was a whole new experience.
The Penguins returned our investment by beating the Maple Leafs 4 – 1, the first time they have managed to win a game against Toronto, at least on home ice, since 2001.
If you want to introduce someone to the sport of hockey, I cannot think of a better way to do it then take them to a Leafs game. Leafs fans travel well, an attribute you don't normally see in hockey. This is a product born of the difficulty and expense in obtaining tickets in Toronto and the relatively close distance of teams in Buffalo (Sabres), Detroit (Red Wings) and Pittsburgh (Penguins). I'm not sure if they go the distance to Columbus, but I would not be surprised if they did.
It makes for a fun game, as the number of fans from the opposing team is audible, enthusiastic and friendly, from singing “Oh Canada” to good natured taunting of happy Pens fans on the way home about the team's imminent departure from the city of Pittsburgh. Ouch.
JM even got to watch a fight. Between Jarkko Rutuu and Ben Ondru during the second period.
Have a safe and Happy New Year.
Sometimes I think that if there is no fight in a hockey match then there should be a partial refund.
ReplyDeleteI still think the Pens might stay. You never know what might happen.
Happy New Year!
Violating anonymity, BM confirms that he & his son had a great time seeing his 'Burgh friends (but winces good-naturedly at the appellation "BM," a running joke from school days). Thanx one more time, Jenn; best to J and kitties. I'll have to return the favor by taking y'all to see the CBJs, a far worse team than the Pens but privileged to play home dates a beautiful facility.
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