Sorry if this has been covered in the thread already but I just wanted to vent and share my thoughts on my experience at the game tonight.
I decided to spring for some 100 level tickets right behind the visitors goalie. Great deal on stubhub for 70 bucks CDN/ticket. I was surprised how many people showed up given the weather but it was a decent turnout.
First time sitting in that area and I loved it, a couple rows up from the glass, you could really see how much bigger St. Louis was compared to the Sens! There were several big hits that really reverberated the boards and it was great to see a sens fan give a kid st louis fan a puck that bounced off allen over the netting. A couple in close scrums and shots, where you can actually see the emotion and I really enjoyed the opening on-ice projection and intro. One thing i noticed and take for granted watching on TV or higher up is that you can really see how fast the game is at this level, it was a great experience all around especially with all the DIFD fundraising going on.
The arena looks great, I wish the concourse was wider but it is what it is. The new bar style zones are great and makes it feel like you can have a more social/suite experience without having to buy a suite. I love that they are trying to establish some history with the murals, artwork and memorabilia, but not being able to walk around the entire arena is bad form, I understand Club Bell but it sucks to have to walk the same way you just came from...I know, first world problems but overall I really like the arena, still can't wait for it it to be downtown as it will be 10 minutes from home as opposed to the time it takes to get to Kanata.
Now for a few complaints...I'm 30, I get the entertainment and it was good to see the kids having fun with all the scoreboard animations but the music is just way to loud, I actually had to yell and lean in to hear conversation between whistles! It's great to try and pump up the crowd up but honestly its too much, I'm bringing my four year old in March and wonder how he'll do.
Also...for the love of god...get something else besides the "make some noise"soundboard button.
As well, I shouldn't have to see resellers yell and fight each other over territory, if that is how its going to be I would want the Sens to enforce the parking tunnel and front plaza, it does not make a good impression walking up.
Also, this is maybe not really that important and seems petty but if I was paying season ticket prices for glass seats, you think that maybe they would buff the glass to try and work out the marks and scratches to give the most premium view, it was just a thought and not even sure that it is something done at other rinks around the NHL but it was a detail I noticed.
Overall the experience was great, had a lot of fun and have a new found appreciation for NHL players and the required lightning fast decision making.
The actual game on the other hand...what a brutal game to watch, no possession and could barely get anything going, I picked those seats because you actually get to see the goals on the visiting team up close...but boy did I choose the wrong game to go to haha. What a stinker of a game. I would leave Ryan unprotected, Ceci can be packaged out IMO, and Boro was the only player that showed any heart last night, listening to the Team on the way home they gave him the hardest working player and it was well deserved, he took some shots and dished it out, was actually fun to watch. Wingels was chippy and was doing his best at walking the line to draw some of their players in, but wow...what a bad game overall. It's like Jekyll & Hyde, I think people just want consistency of being able to be a threat, it was like st. louis had nothing to worry about.
The player I seemed to notice the most from St. Louis was Pat Beglund, a real big body that was able to shut us down offensively and was able to contribute to the back of the net. He has a partial M-NTC where he can list 23 teams not to be moved to but I wonder if he could be someone we can target for our third line as a rental if we are still in the mix come the trade deadline.
Way too long I know...but if you read it all, thanks! thoughts?
