From Sea to Sea: Game 3 Stanley Cup Finals, Vancouver at Boston

So, as you can tell, we've made a spontaneous road trip down to Boston. Being as there's no NHL team in or near Halifax, and since our Canucks are rarely out this way, let alone for playoffs, especially not for the Stanley Cup Finals, we decided to grab this once in 17-year opportunity and go see them live, while we were able. So far we'd been watching the playoffs online, coping with time zone delays as best we could, but thanks to Racheal's brainwave and a very understanding and sympathetic supervisor at DOJ, we finally took the chance to run down to Boston and see our team in person for the first time in years. We were so excited that we stopped in various sports stores in Halifax looking for a Canucks jersey for me - to find that there were maybe 4 left in the entire city! Thankfully one of them fit me and was on sale.

The atmosphere here is incredible - Canucks fans everywhere, randomly high-fiving strangers in our team's jerseys, posing for pictures (with the Green Men!), touring the city - it's like a party with friends we hadn't had the chance to meet yet. Stunningly there's very little Bruins presence in the city - very few banners or jerseys or signs or flags out - whereas I know in Vancouver everywhere you look there's lots of visible team support. In Boston's favour, however, despite playful hostility to us as rivals, there were constant greetings and we were made to feel very welcome.

So, after hours of wandering, we chatted with a passing cabbie who tipped us off which hotel the Canucks were at, so we walked down with our jerseys to get autographs. Many of the players were unwilling to sign, having already done autographs after the morning skate (apparently Alex Burrows offered autographs to fans who would do 20 pushups on the spot), but Racheal managed to sweet-talk a few into coming by, starting with the team medical staff, then moving on to the defencemen. It seems there's chronic autograph-seekers, either building immense collections of signatures or getting memorabilia signed for sale, and the players aren't too keen to take time for them. For genuine and exuberant (and dare I say, cuter) fans who are there to support the team, not for business, they're more willing to accommodate. Racheal even convinced the coaches to come over and sign for us. Despite being on the other side of the continent, it was a nice reminder of Vancouver to see some of the same players we last saw in person at GM Place, or on TV, in person in this strange American city.

Getting into the rink at last was great - not just because it was pleasantly cool after a hot day outside, but because the atmosphere was electric. I'll never get tired of entering an arena and getting the first look at the ice, then seeing the players come out for warmups, then feeling the growing energy of the crowd. Sadly, this anticipation turned out to be the best part of the game, but there's just something special about being there that will always stick with me and always be treasured.

Enough ramblings, and let's not dwell on the aftermath - Racheal has pictures!
Cheers,
A.

Just outside the TD Garden . . . hanging around trying to catch players before Game 3