TheHockeytown Posted March 7, 2017 Posted March 7, 2017 Going to see the Wings clash with the Rangers on Sunday. It will be my first hockey game (I am a younger guy haha). Wish I was attending the Joe during a better season, but will be happy to reflect on it in the future and say I had the opportunity to watch a game in one of the most historical venues of all time. I would definitely like to catch a puck in warmups or get an autograph if possible. But my request is for you, fellow fans (regardless of your team) - please sound off some tips for a first hockey game experience!
TropicalFruitGirl26 Posted March 7, 2017 Posted March 7, 2017 Regardless of the type of season, it is ALWAYS great to be at a live hockey game...especially when it is your favorite team you are going to see. Take it from me, who watched MANY a bad season for the TB Lightning back when their arena was called The Ice Palace or the St. Pete Times Forum, one can simply "lose themselves" in that ONE game....that one opponent that night (in your case the Rangers), and just enjoy the game for what it is: Your team going for two points and trying to keep the opponent doing the same. Best way to deal with a down season...forget the standings, for that one game, it is just Detroit vs New York, and you can anticipate the thrill of beating that team, or the agony of losing to them, but relish every step of the way. And hey, get there early enough, and you may just get your autograph.....hockey players are really cool (no pun intended) that way. Also, see how good their burgers are.....I say the Minnesota Wild's cheeseburgers with fries are some of the best in all of sports, but I could be biased.... Enjoy your game!
yave1964 Posted March 7, 2017 Posted March 7, 2017 From experience sitting in the Joe when the Wings have one about wrapped up late and they start playing Journey's don't stop believing you better be prepared to scream 'BORN AND RAISED IN SOUTH DETROIT' at the top of your lungs, it is awesome, twenty thousand people yelling this one line all together at the same time is freaking cool. My favorite part about attending a game at the Joe. Oh and take lots of pics of the banners in the rafters, maybe not as many as the Canadiens but a pretty impressive bunch if I do say so.
notfondajane Posted March 8, 2017 Posted March 8, 2017 7 hours ago, TropicalFruitGirl26 said: Regardless of the type of season, it is ALWAYS great to be at a live hockey game...especially when it is your favorite team you are going to see. Take it from me, who watched MANY a bad season for the TB Lightning back when their arena was called The Ice Palace or the St. Pete Times Forum, one can simply "lose themselves" in that ONE game....that one opponent that night (in your case the Rangers), and just enjoy the game for what it is: Your team going for two points and trying to keep the opponent doing the same. Best way to deal with a down season...forget the standings, for that one game, it is just Detroit vs New York, and you can anticipate the thrill of beating that team, or the agony of losing to them, but relish every step of the way. And hey, get there early enough, and you may just get your autograph.....hockey players are really cool (no pun intended) that way. Also, see how good their burgers are.....I say the Minnesota Wild's cheeseburgers with fries are some of the best in all of sports, but I could be biased.... Enjoy your game! I used to stand outside the entrance to the Pittsburgh Civic Arena where the players entered the stadium, just to get a autograph! I received an autograph from some guy named Bernie Parent!
notfondajane Posted March 8, 2017 Posted March 8, 2017 8 hours ago, TheHockeytown said: Going to see the Wings clash with the Rangers on Sunday. It will be my first hockey game (I am a younger guy haha). Wish I was attending the Joe during a better season, but will be happy to reflect on it in the future and say I had the opportunity to watch a game in one of the most historical venues of all time. I would definitely like to catch a puck in warmups or get an autograph if possible. But my request is for you, fellow fans (regardless of your team) - please sound off some tips for a first hockey game experience! If you could get there about 2 hours before game time find the players entrance to the stadium, hopefully you could recognize a few players and get a few! It worked for me! Be a good sport and wish them a good game even if it's an opposing player!
notfondajane Posted March 8, 2017 Posted March 8, 2017 7 hours ago, AlaskaFlyerFan said: Eat before you go to the game. Yes yes please do so!
SpikeDDS Posted March 8, 2017 Posted March 8, 2017 At minimum, stand by the home tunnel during warm-ups, and savor your ability to be able to talk Red Wing hockey with actual live people. When the Thrashers were here, every Red Wing game, I would go stand by the visitors' tunnel and there would be dozens of RW fans there, and it was SO refreshing to actually talk hockey with people who actually knew the game and knew the Wings. My favorite part of attending these games. A drink, the smell of hockey in the air (the good and the bad) and hockey talk. Nothing better. When the Red Wings are asked what they will miss about the Joe, many of them have said "the smell." I know EXACTLY what they are talking about! Now I miss it entirely! Like I said, savor it.
TheHockeytown Posted March 8, 2017 Author Posted March 8, 2017 8 hours ago, SpikeDDS said: When the Red Wings are asked what they will miss about the Joe, many of them have said "the smell." I know EXACTLY what they are talking about! Hopefully this stuffy nose passes by Sunday then Very excited to be at the game, can't wait. It will be a memory for a lifetime. Thanks for the excellent advice, everyone!
SpikeDDS Posted March 11, 2017 Posted March 11, 2017 On 3/8/2017 at 5:12 PM, TheHockeytown said: Hopefully this stuffy nose passes by Sunday then Very excited to be at the game, can't wait. It will be a memory for a lifetime. Thanks for the excellent advice, everyone! For whatever reason, I thought you were going to LAST night's game, and as they played, I was thinking about how cool it was for you to be there watching this game. And so I came on here this morning to tell you what a great game you chose to go see. Now, I'm going to tell you that you missed a great game! Who woulda thunk that we'd play a game like that against Chicago, eh?
TheHockeytown Posted March 13, 2017 Author Posted March 13, 2017 @SpikeDDS IF ONLY I was at Friday's game and not last night's! I was extremely disappointed leaving the Joe, couldn't wait for the night to just be over. There was a loud, loud boo after the Wings failed to connect on their last powerplay. Tried to hang around after the game for autographs, but players just drove by and didn't even look at any of us. Zetterberg, Green, Nielsen, Miller, then Kenny drove by and didn't even bother to recognize us, so that kinda made it even more irritating. Even after a loss, I think the guys should at least wave. One player hid his face with a coat while driving by us, so I couldn't tell who that was. No class in that whatsoever. I was hoping to catch at least Z or Larkin because the security and crowd management said they were the ones to normally stop, but I knew Larkin wasn't going to stop after the night he had. Even though the night was a disaster, I woke up this morning feeling semi-better than I did driving back to the hotel last night. While I was driving home (oh you know, a 7 hour drive), I reflected on how cool it was to just be in the Joe. I thought about how some diehard fans will never be able to say they've been to the iconic venue. As soon as I got into the arena last night, after buying some souvenirs, I walked through the red tarps and just stared up at the rafters, just taking the time to appreciate the history of the organization and the league in general. Seemed like time froze at that moment, and I'll never forget it. The national anthem gave me chills, as it always does, especially since I was with my dad, a combat veteran. One thing I really noticed about seeing a game live is, everything goes so fast, much faster than it does watching on TV. I think someone said that here. Spike, I did exactly what you said you did - talked with other fans. I didn't actually think very many fans would talk to each other, and I don't know why I thought that. Probably because at the doors waiting to get in, nobody was talking to anyone but whoever they were with (probably because of the freezing cold lol!). I did talk to one fan outside, but I was surprised at how many fans I talked to around the arena, especially during warmups. I was even more surprised at how many of those fans were ALSO experiencing their first ever pro hockey game! My dad, my cousin and I met a season ticket holder and his family after the game, and they were some of the nicest people I've ever met. Just like you said, Spike, talking to other fans was definitely cool! I would have been much more frustrated had they didn't score at all last night, but being able to celebrate that one single goal was a moment I won't forget. Just seeing thousands of people leap to their feet so quick, myself as well, was incredible. Overall, the trip was good. I arrived at the Joe a little after 3, I think. Took the People Mover around the city, which was awesome. Got complimented a few times on the Zetterberg Winter Classic sweater too Wasn't able to score a puck during warmups, or an autograph, but the experience was one that I will remember forever. I left the arena with a Larkin jersey, a hat, a Farewell to the Joe puck and pin, a frustrated mood, but most importantly a memory for eternity. Don't worry, I've lightened up since last night Even after a loss, you'll always hear me chant Go Wings!
SpikeDDS Posted March 14, 2017 Posted March 14, 2017 13 hours ago, TheHockeytown said: @SpikeDDS IF ONLY I was at Friday's game and not last night's! I was extremely disappointed leaving the Joe, couldn't wait for the night to just be over. There was a loud, loud boo after the Wings failed to connect on their last powerplay. Tried to hang around after the game for autographs, but players just drove by and didn't even look at any of us. Zetterberg, Green, Nielsen, Miller, then Kenny drove by and didn't even bother to recognize us, so that kinda made it even more irritating. Even after a loss, I think the guys should at least wave. One player hid his face with a coat while driving by us, so I couldn't tell who that was. No class in that whatsoever. I was hoping to catch at least Z or Larkin because the security and crowd management said they were the ones to normally stop, but I knew Larkin wasn't going to stop after the night he had. Even though the night was a disaster, I woke up this morning feeling semi-better than I did driving back to the hotel last night. While I was driving home (oh you know, a 7 hour drive), I reflected on how cool it was to just be in the Joe. I thought about how some diehard fans will never be able to say they've been to the iconic venue. As soon as I got into the arena last night, after buying some souvenirs, I walked through the red tarps and just stared up at the rafters, just taking the time to appreciate the history of the organization and the league in general. Seemed like time froze at that moment, and I'll never forget it. The national anthem gave me chills, as it always does, especially since I was with my dad, a combat veteran. One thing I really noticed about seeing a game live is, everything goes so fast, much faster than it does watching on TV. I think someone said that here. Spike, I did exactly what you said you did - talked with other fans. I didn't actually think very many fans would talk to each other, and I don't know why I thought that. Probably because at the doors waiting to get in, nobody was talking to anyone but whoever they were with (probably because of the freezing cold lol!). I did talk to one fan outside, but I was surprised at how many fans I talked to around the arena, especially during warmups. I was even more surprised at how many of those fans were ALSO experiencing their first ever pro hockey game! My dad, my cousin and I met a season ticket holder and his family after the game, and they were some of the nicest people I've ever met. Just like you said, Spike, talking to other fans was definitely cool! I would have been much more frustrated had they didn't score at all last night, but being able to celebrate that one single goal was a moment I won't forget. Just seeing thousands of people leap to their feet so quick, myself as well, was incredible. Overall, the trip was good. I arrived at the Joe a little after 3, I think. Took the People Mover around the city, which was awesome. Got complimented a few times on the Zetterberg Winter Classic sweater too Wasn't able to score a puck during warmups, or an autograph, but the experience was one that I will remember forever. I left the arena with a Larkin jersey, a hat, a Farewell to the Joe puck and pin, a frustrated mood, but most importantly a memory for eternity. Don't worry, I've lightened up since last night Even after a loss, you'll always hear me chant Go Wings! The best part about hockey are the people who really love it...even Penguins fans. ;-)
notfondajane Posted March 14, 2017 Posted March 14, 2017 15 minutes ago, SpikeDDS said: The best part about hockey are the people who really love it...even Penguins fans. ;-) Lol! Wings fans are ok themselves!
notfondajane Posted March 14, 2017 Posted March 14, 2017 13 hours ago, TheHockeytown said: @SpikeDDS IF ONLY I was at Friday's game and not last night's! I was extremely disappointed leaving the Joe, couldn't wait for the night to just be over. There was a loud, loud boo after the Wings failed to connect on their last powerplay. Tried to hang around after the game for autographs, but players just drove by and didn't even look at any of us. Zetterberg, Green, Nielsen, Miller, then Kenny drove by and didn't even bother to recognize us, so that kinda made it even more irritating. Even after a loss, I think the guys should at least wave. One player hid his face with a coat while driving by us, so I couldn't tell who that was. No class in that whatsoever. I was hoping to catch at least Z or Larkin because the security and crowd management said they were the ones to normally stop, but I knew Larkin wasn't going to stop after the night he had. Even though the night was a disaster, I woke up this morning feeling semi-better than I did driving back to the hotel last night. While I was driving home (oh you know, a 7 hour drive), I reflected on how cool it was to just be in the Joe. I thought about how some diehard fans will never be able to say they've been to the iconic venue. As soon as I got into the arena last night, after buying some souvenirs, I walked through the red tarps and just stared up at the rafters, just taking the time to appreciate the history of the organization and the league in general. Seemed like time froze at that moment, and I'll never forget it. The national anthem gave me chills, as it always does, especially since I was with my dad, a combat veteran. One thing I really noticed about seeing a game live is, everything goes so fast, much faster than it does watching on TV. I think someone said that here. Spike, I did exactly what you said you did - talked with other fans. I didn't actually think very many fans would talk to each other, and I don't know why I thought that. Probably because at the doors waiting to get in, nobody was talking to anyone but whoever they were with (probably because of the freezing cold lol!). I did talk to one fan outside, but I was surprised at how many fans I talked to around the arena, especially during warmups. I was even more surprised at how many of those fans were ALSO experiencing their first ever pro hockey game! My dad, my cousin and I met a season ticket holder and his family after the game, and they were some of the nicest people I've ever met. Just like you said, Spike, talking to other fans was definitely cool! I would have been much more frustrated had they didn't score at all last night, but being able to celebrate that one single goal was a moment I won't forget. Just seeing thousands of people leap to their feet so quick, myself as well, was incredible. Overall, the trip was good. I arrived at the Joe a little after 3, I think. Took the People Mover around the city, which was awesome. Got complimented a few times on the Zetterberg Winter Classic sweater too Wasn't able to score a puck during warmups, or an autograph, but the experience was one that I will remember forever. I left the arena with a Larkin jersey, a hat, a Farewell to the Joe puck and pin, a frustrated mood, but most importantly a memory for eternity. Don't worry, I've lightened up since last night Even after a loss, you'll always hear me chant Go Wings! Let's go Pens is a better chant! I'm glad to hear that you enjoyed the experience!
Recommended Posts
Archived
This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.