A quick overview of what my Finals journey looked like. An expensive ride, but worth every penny. I’ve included the sections that I sat in and what I paid for them.
.
Game 1 – Vancouver
Watched in my living room in Vancouver with my main man Scotty G, an Oilers fan brave enough to throw on the spoked B. Tough loss for the B’s in the dying seconds.
Game 2 – Vancouver
Second verse, same as the first. Burrows scored in the opening seconds of OT and it was slightly crushing. Scotty G allowed me to mourn for 5 minutes, and then cracked out the Vodskie and gave us the Edmonton pour – if you don’t wink, it ain’t a drink. Got trashed and headed downtown. May possibly have said lewd things about Burrows and small children.
Game 3 – Boston
Cross continent flight to Boston. Landed at 10am on game day. Brother-in-law Thor confirmed earlier that week that he was going to make the drive down to meet me. Section 302 – Row 4. $750 bones on Stubhub. Brother and sis-in-law made the hike down and joined the party at Hurrincane O’Reilly’s. Ended up grabbing scalpers for $200 a piece. Bruins destroy the Canucks 8-1. Garden was off the hook.
.
Game 4 – Boston
Section 304 – Row 8. $600 a pop on Stubhub. Sat with Bro and Sis-in-law. Hard to believe it, but Game 4 lived up to Game 3. Another ass-kicking by the Bruins. My quote to a few B’s fan who were making fun of my Tequila Margaritas, “I can’t drink beer anymore – it sobers me up”.
Game 5 – Saint John
Did the drive up to N.B. day after Game 4. Watched at my folks place for the first two periods, who are full in to the Stanley Cup fever. Watched the third at my bro’s with niece and nephews. Tough loss for the B’s. My anger levels were high, but I hid them for the most part. Kiddies, let’s not repeat uncle Ryan’s tirade.
Game 6 – Saint John
Found a hardcore Bruins fan in Saint John by the name of Mike to the Higgs. Interviewed him that day and he promised the appropriate environment for watching a hockey game: no talking, no Nuck fans, full volume. Bruins lay another ass-kicking. Lobster rolls and Schooners – how can you not love the Maritimes?
Game 7 – Vancouver
Fly in to Vancouver at 1:30am on Game day with distant thoughts in the back of my mind of possibly attending the game. Got the phone call at 10:00am from one David HumpDog discussing how rare it is to catch a Game 7 of a Stanley Cup Finals. Agree to meet at arena after lunch to see what the scalpers are saying, solely out of curiosity. I say there’s a 95% chance that I will be watching it at home…alone…by myself. Prices are $2,000 for shitty uppers. After chatting with every scalper in Vancouver, we decide to bail and regroup later in the day. As we are leaving, a guy chases us across the street and tells us that he is looking to get rid of his father’s tickets. $1600 a piece for lowers, center ice, 19th row. Too good to be true. A quick trip to the bank machine and then reality started to sink in. Game 7 baby. Turns out they were actually Brent Seabrook’s seats, as he father was friends with Seabrook’s father.
.
Best cash I ever spent.
