Just as a warning, this article will not only be fused with commentary as I normally include as spectator of a televised game, but also with additional commentary as a spectator rooting for his team in the city of not-so-brotherly love.
It's not every day a game at the Wachovia Center sells out, so I guess I didn't give it much thought beforehand. I did consider people would come to watch Sid play, as I was, but more for the jeering than the cheering of his play.
My friend and I walked up to the ticket window to buy tickets, but were met with the not-so-expected "Sold Out" jargon. Eager to get into the game, we wandered off into the vast crowds of Flyers' faithful in hopes of finding tickets. It's funny, when you have tickets in hand walking up to an arena; any arena or stadium for that matter, you tend to fend off scalpers like diseased, parasitic creatures. Yet when you are ticketless and begging to get in to the game before the puck drops, you tend to keep an eye open for the sketchy guy in a leather jacket, or the guy who just happens to casually stand with his hands in his pockets pacing to and fro by the main entrance.
I found one scalper offeringlow level for $120 each, to which I openly shot down. Another said $60 for lower level, but he only had one. Finally as Jason and I tried to make our way to the front of the arena, where we'd been heckled by other scalpers along the way to the ticket window, a security guard stopped us in our steps.
"What are you guys doin, lookin for tickets?" he asked, in more of a 'what do you think you're doing' tone than anything else. "Yeah" said Jason, "you have any?"
I guess I thought it was a bit ridiculous to think a security guard would have tickets for sale, but I think Jason was just matter of factly joking with the guy.
"Yeah" he said, to our surprise. "I took two off those guys trying to sell before. They're upper deck. I'll do two for $40."
SOLD
The puck had already dropped as we entered the building, about a minute and a half in. Having been starved for a good three hours, we figured to grab food then so as to prevent the intermission rush. I looked up at the screen while waiting in line, and saw Brierre sneak behind the net. "Look, Brierre's behind the net" I said, "here comes a goal."
I've never hated being more right any time before.
We got to our seats with about 16:00 remaining in the first. I'll transcribe a few insults shot towards me while finding my seat. Jason, a Flyers fan, pretended he didn't know me the whole time.
There was the ever so generic, "Penguins suck!", followed by the territorial "get out of our section!", but not to be topped by the equally laughable "f*ck you" and my personal favorite - the subtle "die".
Before I could choke down some fine Aramark dining, the score was 2-0.
Assuming the Penguins would make another late period run, I remained optimistic that it wasn't over yet. Regardless, the first period ended 2-0 Flyers.
At the end of intermission I did the typical routine move - I hit the bathrooms. Another lovely barrage of comments flew throughout the room, all of which really had me genuinely laughing. "I didn't know Penguins fans peed standing up". "Ladies room is next door Penguins". "Hey Armstrong [a guy wearing a Colby Armstrong jersey] why don't you hold it for your buddy Malkin [his friend wearing a Evgeni Malkin jersey]."
Barely into the second period, the Penguins were losing 3-0. Their passing was atrocious, there were too many forced plays and just not enough shots. Not to mention, but I'll say it anyways, the penalty kill completely and utterly sucked.
The Penguins managed to answer back with a powerplay goal on a Malkin one-timer from Whitney and Crosby, thus extending the captain's point streak to 15 games. By the grace of the black and gold, on what seemed like the dying seconds of the second period, Gonchar let one loose from the blueline to close it within one with only two-tenths of a second remaining on the game clock. Heading into the third period 3-2, I had high hopes for a comeback.
Alas, that would be the end of the Penguins scoring, as the Flyers would go on to add another two, one of which was the empty netter. Speaking of, pulling Fleury in favor of an extra attacker while barely in the Flyers' zone was a pretty poor call. I suppose it didn't matter much when down by two, but at least play with your heads up. The last few minutes of the period were marred by overall fighting matches around the rink, both verbal and physical. Chants of "Crooooosby" emanated from within. I looked at the clock, counting down the seconds for my escape.
I suppose, that is when the Wachovia Center decided it'd be a good time to put my solemn, blank staring, desperately seeking the end face on the big screen monitor. Hell, my team was down two goals, the least I could do was point to the logo on my hat and get a few more boos just for the fun of it. Seconds later, the chant of "Go home Penguins" started from my section.
On my way back to the parking lot I received a few more screams and jeers, my favorite from a little kid calling from the security of his Dad's SUV "Penguins suck".
Thus marked the end of my trip to Philly, complete with ticket scalping, Penguin bashing goodness.
I am no doubt disappointed in another loss, thus making it three straight for the club. Prior to the game I was hoping Fleury would have a better game in net, but the answer to my hopeful mind came within the first ten minutes of the first.
Baby steps I suppose. I'm happy to see Ryan Whitney back on the line, as he managed to contribute to both Penguins' goals. I was also happy to see some fists thrown around, although Ryan Malone was more on the receiving end of a barrage of punches that left his face looking like he was a donor to the Philly blood bank than anything else. Sydor also dropped mitts and held his own, possibly even having won the fight in my eyes.
All in all I'm grateful to the lovely city of Philadelphia - the home of the nation's first capital. The birthplace of freedom. The city of brotherly love. It may not be a city open to fans from other teams, but the love amongst Flyers' fans is apparant. In a world of civil marriages, they definitely bring new definition to the term brotherly love.
Penguins Goals
1st Period
NONE
2nd Period
Malkin from Whitney-Crosby
Gonchar from Malkin-Whitney
3rd Period
NONE
Fleury - 25-29
Biron - 29-31
