What’s your best and worst road game attendance experience?

[SteveCangialosi123]

Philly seems to have a reputation, but I’ve never had a problem there as a Devils fan.

 

[severian]

I’ve never been to a Bruins away game, but I like to think we treat visitors with respect for the most part.

If I’m at a Bruins-Canadiens game, I always make it a point to strike up a friendly conversation with a Canadiens fan just so they can go home and say they met a friendly Bruins fan.

I went to a Devils-Bruins game at Prudential Center a couple years ago. There was a group of Bruins fans chirping the whole train ride from NYC. "Devils suck, Jersey is gross, blah blah." We got off the train and they saw me in my jersey so they asked me which direction is the arena. I pointed them to the Ironbound. I let them walk about 15-20 seconds and then I yelled out that I was just messing with them. Honestly, they deserved to walk into oblivion but I felt bad.

 

[Hockey4Lyfe]

Without a doubt it's Boston.

Was Bruins vs Habs during the Subban era.

Let's just say there's a lot of people in Boston who hate black people.

Boston as always been a hell hole sports fans wise.

Watched one of my buddies almost get into a fight with a Patriots fan for simply having on a Steelers jersey a couple of years back.

 

[The Hanging Jowl]

Been to road games in Tampa, Columbus, Detroit, Buffalo, LA, Anaheim, Calgary and SJ. If I was anywhere else, I'm drawing a blank. All were excellent experiences with great venues and fans so sorry, no worst, just best.

 

[severian]

Was this you? If not, I'm sure you're not the only one.

How old is that?

 

[BiolaRunner]

I went to a Ducks/Kings game at Staples in 2016. We had beaten them. While standing on the concourse waiting for my wife to empty use the restroom, another Ducks fan walked by a gave me a high five. Chris Sutter was walking behind him and socked me on the shoulder. I loved it

 

[nbwingsfan]

For those who attend road games, what’s some good and bad experiences you’ve had ?

As a Jackets fan, I didn’t really have any bad experience as there’s not much rivalry between Columbus and anyone else. Had some friendly chirps from Lightning fans after we swept them, but that’s about it.

As for the arenas, Tampa has got to be #1 - great organ, giant Jumbotron, great presentation. Loved Panthers Arena for low attendance, pretty much no wait lines for food and drinks

Went to the TD garden to watch game one of Detroit vs Bruins playoff game with a buddy of mine and we were both wearing our Wings jerseys

We were seated in the nosebleeds with some major drunk Bruin fans, so we thought we were about to get a good yelling from them all game long and to make things worse, we realized we forgot our passports at the hotel and weren’t able to buy any beers at the stadium.

The Bruins fans around us ended up talking to us and asking us when why we weren’t drinking, and when they found out why, ended up buying us each like 7 or 8 beers. We had one of the best game experiences of my life, and they were nothing but hilarious to be with even when the Wings ended up winning.

Never really had a bad experience, but I haven’t been to many live games either

 

[nbwingsfan]

Boston as always been a hell hole sports fans wise.

Watched one of my buddies almost get into a fight with a Patriots fan for simply having on a Steelers jersey a couple of years back.

This can happen at literally any single city, did you not see the guy almost kill a Tampa fan from New York this post season? There’s idiots everywhere in the world and acting like it’s worse anywhere else is kind of hilarious

See my story in this post for random Bruins fans spending like $200-$300 for my friend and I to have fun with them while we were wearing Wings jerseys.

Out of the places I’ve been to, the Raptors game had the worst fans I’ve ever experienced. Does that mean Toronto is a hell hole too?

 

[WhoAreYou99]

This can happen at literally any single city, did you not see the guy almost kill a Tampa fan from New York this post season? There’s idiots everywhere in the world and acting like it’s worse anywhere else is kind of hilarious

See my story in this post for random Bruins fans spending like $200-$300 for my friend and I to have fun with them while we were wearing Wings jerseys.

Out of the places I’ve been to, the Raptors game had the worst fans I’ve ever experienced. Does that mean Toronto is a hell hole too?

yes

 

[LeighDx59]

I've been to at least half of the arenas as both a Wings and Preds fan, and luckily I havent had any issue in an away arena. I also generally am by myself and keep to myself. Seattle has to be one of my favorite experiences though, their arena is beautiful and everyone was so nice when I went.

 

[HisIceness]

Since we're talking about actually visiting other buildings I'll add my visits.

Wizards game in DC before Jordan suited up for them. Great location, kind of a meh building even being 3 years old. Purple scoreboard was nicknamed "Barney" by the Caps and Wizards STHs.

Philips Arena in Atlanta is cool. The wall of suites was interesting, probably a bad idea in hindsight but they tried to make it work. Great location.

The Saddledome was outdated in 2002.

Probably the weirdest place I've seen a game was Dorton Arena in Raleigh for the ECHL Icecaps. Went a couple of times both in their early days and their last season before relocation to Augusta. Note, don't ever attend an event here when there might be a tornado nearby (there wasn't although the arena had to take precautions, but the heavy rain and whipping winds in a glass building was scary enough). Fun atmospheres but that place was just not Hockey friendly at all.

 

[Paulie Walnutz]

This is a great question. I’ve been to 19 NHL cities, a few of the arenas I visited are gone but I’ll try my best to summarize. I’ve been to Anaheim, LA, SJ, Vegas, Arizona this year at the college arena, Colorado, Dallas, Detroit(Joe Louis), old Pittsburgh igloo, Buffalo, Toronto(current), Montreal(current), Ottawa, Boston, NYR(does it count since I’m an NYR fan, NY Islanders(Coliseum, Brooklyn), NJ(swamp and ghetto), Washington, Philly.

My best experiences: Vegas, it’s like going to a show, everything was awesome. The fans were nice and cool and everyone got along at the bar outside the arena.

Montreal, even though I’m a Rangers fan they were incredibly nice and loved talking hockey with me and the atmosphere was great.

Boston, despite the Boston NY multi sport rivalry they were great before and after the game. We were all drunk at the bar after the game singing patriotic songs.

Anaheim: Orange County is so nice. Get an Airbnb with a pool and chill. Very family oriented area.

Worst experiences: I’m not including the rivals like NJ, NYI, Philly for obvious reasons.

Colorado: man lemme tell ya, I went out there and have a friend who lives in Denver and has season tickets with the Avs even though he’s an NYR fan. The fans were complete assholes and douche bags. I got so much shit and I’m like huh it’s Rangers/Avs why is there so much hostility. And I don’t drink when I go to games, I like to have a good time and remember my trips.

San Jose: I had a handicapped friend with me and they separated our seats so we both sat alone the whole game and we were both pissed. They even told us well you can hang out at the intermissions.

LA: lemme start off by saying doing southern Cali is a great trip if you wanna relax and go to some games and enjoy nice weather, but as far as atmosphere, it’s a dead crowd.

Ottawa: the arena is in the middle of nowhere and it’s a pain in the ass to get out of. We’ll see what happens if they get a new downtown arena.

Buffalo: depressing city. Even the locals told me not to hang out in Buffalo.

And let me tell you about my Arizona experience for anyone who’s thinking about going to their current arena in ASU. I loved my trip. Who wouldn’t love 80 degree weather at the end of October? We stayed in Scottsdale and hung out there, we had a great hotel and drank beer poolside. Scottsdale is an amazing area, lots of shops and restaurants. As for the game experience, there’s a college bar that’s close to the arena that’s called The Devil’s Advocate, great bar food. The arena felt so weird. It didn’t feel like I was watching an NHL game. I mean what do you expect from a 5000 seat arena? Plus every ticket was $200 and up.

 

[The Red Line]

Had some hostile banter at the United Center, but mostly all in good fun. One game a guy threatened to piss on me "so it smells like home". My home was Chicago, though. The Wings won that game, btw.

At another game a Hawks fan knocked my beer out of my hand (clumsiness during a goal celebration, no ill-intent) and another Hawks fan sitting nearby came back from the concession stand with an extra for me a few minutes later.

Love games at the United Center, that anthem gets me going every time and I clap as loud as anyone.

 

[Sniper99]

I've only been to 2 road games, both in Glendale, went and saw OV and the caps 5 years ago. You go in expecting OV to light the lamp all night against the Coyotes. NOPE OV kept off the scoresheet. Caps play like cup contenders win the game.

Just before covid my friends and i fly down to Phoenix, pay $100 Canadian to sit in the 8th row in the corner to watch McDavid work his magic, this was 2 nights after Edmonton put up 8 on Calgary and watch Smith work Talbot at center ice. So we're expecting McDavid and crew to mop the floor against the Coyotes, Nope. Oilers played like they caught heat stroke and didnt produce any offense and lost 2 or 3 nothing

 

[Lions67]

I have had only chance so far to catch an away game. Planned out for months. My brother was living in Calgary at the time had tickets to the Flames v Jets. Plane ticket bought and getting ready to go when all of a sudden!!… COVID struck and the league shutdown. Wasn’t getting my money back for the flight so went ahead with the trip anyway.
Ended up playing NHL 21 on his couch for the weekend lol
Worst away game ever! Haha!

 

[DaveG]

I've been to a few other arenas as a road fan or neutral during the regular season over the years.

Been to MSG but it was for the Big East Tourney rather than hockey, so doesn't count.

Boston Garden - early 90s, went to a Pens-Bs game shortly after the Francis trade. Fun time, nobody gave us any shit since I was like 10 at the time. Went as a Pens fan at the time since Francis was my favorite player. Harry Sinden actually talked with my dad and I a bit.

Igloo - full on Canes fans by this point. I had moved to the Raleigh area in 96 and the team moved here a year later. Did my undergrad at West Virginia so I usually came up for the "student rush" tickets. Good fans for catching a road game during the regular season in that era at least, worst I ever got from someone was "yinz get lost on the way to Greensbura?" Best game was in 02, Pens were full on in rebuild mode and I got tickets about 3 rows behind the net on the end the Canes shot twice. Had a bit of back and forth with Iceburgh and even agreed to do a bit where they dumped some popcorn on me when the game was still like 1 or 2-0 Canes (final was 7-0). Can not confirm if this resulted in a brawl after that in the kitchen.

Phillips - nothing at the time really stood out negative or positive other than the pain in the ass that was getting there from outside Atlanta. Fans that I interacted with were definitely the hardcore type but you could also get the impression that team ownership wasn't all that interested in the game-day experience for the team at the time. This was after Turner sold the team.

Molson - probably the most fun place I've gone to a game, great fans, so much to see and enjoy in town before and after the game that I wouldn't even know where to start. Only place I've had a (mostly empty) beer thrown at me and then the same guy offering to buy me a beer a few minutes later after cracking a particularly good joke.

Bridgestone - attended as a neutral (Preds-Sharks game). Probably the best place to catch a game in terms of overall experience inside and outside a game so far to me. Some great bars to grab a drink or bite to eat and catch some good music before/after the game. Concourses were huge, arena was very clean, everyone I ran into at the game was extremely nice and helpful overall. I'd go again in a second as a road fan vs as a neutral.

Capital One - great area to catch a game especially if you want to see some sites before-hand. Many of the best museums are an easy walk to the arena, and the food options at the game were pretty solid. Wasn't an especially fierce game that the Caps controlled most of the way, and I was wearing my Whalers jersey so I didn't end up getting much of any heat my way during/after the game.

Honestly, my worst game experience at a game was in my own home arena in Raleigh. I've been kicked out of a game literally ONCE in my life, and can't foresee similar circumstances happening again that would cause another instance. Canes-Caps April 2nd 2013. Caps fan next to me is just being an absolute assclown the entire game so far and late in the second Pitkanen goes into the boards HARD, and is quite clearly injured on the play. Guy starts acting like the guy he was in a puck race with just laid the biggest clean hit you've ever seen and whooping it up like the just scored the winner in OT in a game 7, I tell him "shut the f*** up, there's a guy injured", he shoves me, I punch back, both of us get kicked out of the arena pretty quickly before it can get too ugly. I'm not the fighting type typically but something about someone literally celebrating an obviously serious injury to a player just utterly pissed me right the f*** off. There's no reason to ever be that guy.

 

[RosensRug]

I've been lucky enough to have been to 30 of 32 NHL cities over the last 10 years give or take.

The worst experience I ever had was in Edmonton on New Years eve in 2019. I had seats in row 1 right on the glass just between the top of the circle and the blue line. Went out for a good dinner before the game, got to the game early, enjoyed the pre game and everything. Once the game started the Rangers played like dog shit and fell behind 5-0 mid way through the game. After the 5th goal someone tossed a full un opened 25OZ beer can at me and my ex girlfriend. Luckily it missed both of us and just hit the glass and landed at our feet. We weren't being rude, yelling, etc since the Rangers literally gave us nothing to brag about. Security looks around like WTF and then the fan who threw it asked if we would give the beer back to him since it wasn't opened.

Me being pissed off I yelled back at him and opened the beer and started drinking it myself, probably wasn't the smartest idea as it infuriated the drunk who threw it and escalated the situation. Security ended up giving me a warning and said any more shit from anyone and we'll be ejected.


As for worst in terms of team play? I think I've been to 18 games in the pacific time zone and I've seen the Rangers lose 12 of them.. Going off memory the only two i think were close were an overtime loss in San Jose, and a 2-1 loss in Vancouver. The 10 others were dogshit games. On one trip I saw the Rangers lose 6-2 to Colorado, 6-0 in Arizona, then 5-2 in Vegas with all of the Rangers goals coming while down 3+


As for the best there's too many to pick from but I'm going to be biased. There was nothing like a good Rangers/Islanders game at the old nassau coliseum. There was just something special about the energy that came out of the crowd at those games no matter what the teams records were.