2022 Stanley Cup playoffs thread

I spent $100 for standing room to watch the Habs win the Cup in 1993. My graduation present to myself. I went alone.

Centre Ice, above the Whites and below the Blues. Last Cup at the Forum.

I’d gone to most of the games that run, including the McSorely stick measurement game. Great memories.

 

I'd offer a story from Raleigh, but am not terribly interested in the "that market sucks" responses.

 

I appreciate your concern for the gatekeepers’ workload.

 

I went to Game 3 in LA in 1993 with a free ticket and covered all the games in Anaheim in 03 and 07 on a credential. I could have gone to what became the Cup clinching game in LA in 2012 for around $800, but that was too much.

 

When the Avalanche first moved to Denver, I got a partial season ticket package for my birthday. It was inexpensive then. The playoff tickets weren't, though, but my future father-in-law bought my seats. He did this every year through their run into the early 2000s. My family eventually gave up the seats too, because they did get expensive, but then he took them over! And I think he may eventually have had a set himself and always got the playoff tickets. He long ago dropped those too, I can't remember exactly when, but it was at least after 2002.

So the moral of all this is I had the chance to go to a lot of playoff games during that time. I bet I went to at least one a round and sometimes more. I turned down Game 2 of the 96 Cup Finals because it was a single seat and being young and dumb I thought it would be more fun to watch with friends. I regretted that one almost immediately, and of course, I have been to dozens of games by myself since. I did go to Game 2 of the 2001 Finals, and they lost. But I can say I went to a Stanley Cup game.

Only playoff game I have gone to since was against the Predators a few years ago in the series the Avs lost. It's funny because honestly, most times in my life I would pay to go tonight. Not sure why it isn't bothering me. Maybe I'll regret it? Still, and again, very excited!

 

One of the best things I did in my journo career was cover the Cup games in San Jose. The Western Conference clincher was nuts and the three I got to cover were fun. Covering a Sharks win would have been great from a local paper perspective but the Pittsburgh players were so nice.

 

I'm only a casual hockey fan (who every single year during the playoffs thinks, "Why don't I fully follow this?"), so please forgive my ignorance:

Good Lord, Cale Makar is fun to watch.

 

I gave the benefit of the doubt last game, but Steve Levy double clutching again because he can’t tell if the (likely) game winner is in the net kills the drama.

 

Levy is the intermission host
Sean McDonough is play by play

 

But at least I didn’t hesitate! I boldly stepped into my error.

 

Two softies, one very much so, by Kuemper. I get he's your guy but he is likely not winning you anything. You have to give him a cushion.

And the effing too many men. Gawd.