Maple Leaf Square is packed prior to puck drop, with the line up extending all the way around buildings. Those at the front of the pack had been there three hours before the scheduled start of the game.
The crowd enthusiastically joined 2nd Lieutenant Scott Newlands in a rousing rendition of O Canada
| So yesterday, my wife. Jennifer, and I went to hockey game. But it wasn’t just any game. It was the Toronto Maple Leafs first home playoff game in nine years. They were playing the Boston Bruins, which happens to be my wife’s favourite team. When some tickets went on sale for the game, we tried in vain to buy tickets to the game through Ticketmaster, but to no avail. There were only 750 tickets being sold so I figured the chances on snagging a pair were not high.Prices for tickets are expensive enough all ready. To put it in perspective, we could get third row suits from a scalper, err, ticket reseller to the Bruins/Leafs game in Boston for the same price as the face value of a ticket to the Leafs game with comparable seats. We looked at some ticket resellers for the Leafs game, but the prices were astronomical. About two grand for a pair of tickets in the lower bowl. That’s a tad too much.
So obviously we were ecstatic after winning tickets for the game along with 25 others, through a Toronto Star photo contest. On our way from where we parked the car, lots of fans were making their pilgrimage to the Air Canada Centre. Their reaction to seeing my wife wearing a Bruin’s jersey was expected, not in the least intimidating, and a little fun too. Hey, I’ll tell you right now, I was right there with them booing her along the sidewalk. Good times. Maple Leafs Square outside the Air Canada Centre was absolutely packed and the energy inside the ACC was electric. We’ve been to Bruins/Leafs before but never in the playoffs and there were noticeably less Bruins fans in attendance than normal. Our seats were up, I mean way up, in the gondola. I have never watched a game from that vantage point before, but i can see why broadcasters sit at that height. You can see everything developing without moving your eyes from centre ice just using your peripheral vision. Pretty cool. We sat beside Todd and his daughter Joceylyn. Their picture was featured on the front of the sports section. And no disrespect to my wife, but it was nice to sit beside someone who was actually cheering for the right team. But all our cheering didn’t help all that much. The leafs played an error filled game and the crowd was much more subdued as the game went on. Boston opened the scoring in the first period. Toronto got within one goal in the second, but three second period goals by the bruins quickly put the game out of reach. After Phil Kessel scored 47 seconds into the third period to make it 4-2, the crowd began cheering “Thank-you Kessel” in response to the Bruin faithful who chant the same every time Tyler Seguin gets a goal. Loved that. But every time the Leafs would have a good shift or get a goal, the Bruins seemed to answer with a push back shift resulting in a goal. The final score was 5-2, not the result I would have wanted, but it was great to be part of the experience. And I’m hoping that this is not a one-off, regardless of what happens in this year’s playoffs, that the Maple Leafs will be in the thick of the playoffs for many years to come. Go Leafs Go! |
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 All smiles before the game  This giant Maple Leaf flag is passed around the stands during the signing of O Canada  Todd and his daughter in the gondola at the game  Being in the gondola, the Stanley Cup banners stare you right in the face. Pride yes, but it’s been 46 years since the Maple Leafs last won. Fortunately, there are cold beverages to ease the pain. |
After the game, the ACC quickly empties, all that is left are empty beer cups and disappointment over the loss.
A picture of the all the winners in the gondola box appeared in the sports section of the Toronto Star the next day
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