Your first NHL game and other prominent games you attended

[Kevin]

Isles ‘81
Isles ‘83
Lightning ‘04 (told my friend living in Tampa at the time “if there is a Game 7 in Tampa, I’ll buy the tickets and fly down there”)

We have Isles season tickets (dad dating back to 2nd season, although he tells everyone “original season ticket holder” and they believe him) went to about 25 games a year from mid 80s through Pittsburgh brawl game earlier this decade. Where was I during the brawl game - most significant regular season home game for franchise in 20 years at that point - where was I? Attending my first basketball game at MSG as a 37 or 38 year old. Girlfriend at the time was a Kobe Bryant fan. I broke up with her a week later, eating my heart out for not being at that game. I swore to never miss an isles home game at the Coliseum for the rest of my life. (I missed 11/26/14 - my daughter’s birthday and one in December right before Christmas - sewer back up in new house.)

We took Brooklyn off. Went to one game there; worst arena in the league. You can say one thing about the Coliseum, as the ‘old barns’ started disappearing, the Coliseum had the best sight lines in the league. We sat in 205 and the back. On the blue line isles shot 2x. Best seats in the NHL. The 15 games dad sold off from Pittsburgh brawl game to the move to Brooklyn, I bought on stubhub for $5 or less. Once paid 99 cents. We were season ticket holders, I just went to my section, tipped the usher, sat down. Last season, didn’t even have to buy tickets. Just walked in and paid the ticket taker later on. Showed an old ticket and he pretended to scan it. A year or so later, Rangers-Lightning Semi-Finals. I think a Game 7. MSG had about 1000 extra fans there walking around. The usher I knew for pinched in a sting.

I could tell you some other significant games: Trottier’s 500th, Lemieux’s 500th. But there was just so much bad terrible hockey from 1990 through Brooklyn. The 80s stuff is great. Went to so many significant games. You know how I got back into my cards? My T206s? All started with Peter Schwartz (WFAN 1010WINS update guy) posting his ticket stubs. I found mine at my folks house w my T206s. Pulled 5 random games. Bossy scored 13 or 14 goals in those 5 games I pulled.

In 2012, I bought tickets to Game 5 of the Kings-Devils Final. Hoping I’d see a 4th Cup won. Wasn’t to be.

I’ll be back with more stuff...

[Kevin]

Funny, I’ve been to about 15 arenas. I’d say MSG was the SECOND WORST place to watch a game. Sight lines were terrible pre-facelift. Didn’t think anything could be worst until Barclays Center.