The Toronto Maple Leafs had a special guest in the building last night – Me.
That’s right kids, for the first time since the 2015-16 season, when I got to witness William Nylander’s 3rd career game, I was checking out a Toronto Maple Leafs game live and in person.
It’s been that long since I was able to score some free tickets, so I decided to splurge, and for Christmas I bought my son a pair of tickets to go to his first ever game.
He cried tears of joy Christmas morning, and such a feeling was only topped when, after appearing on the Jumbo-Tron in his signature Morgan Rielly jersey, declared it the “Best Day of His Life, So Far.”
Toronto Maple Leafs vs New York Rangers
Living several hours away, we were visiting relatives somewhat closer to the arena, but still had to brave a crazy snow storm just to get to the subway, where we then had an uneventful ride to the game. Typical that we got spring weather for a month leading up to the game, but whatever, it just made it more of an adventure.
Our seats were ridiculous – this was my 10th career Leafs game and these were the best I’ve had. It was only the second one I’ve been at where they won the game. It was also only the second time I didn’t get tickets for a game that occurred after the Leafs were eliminated and no one wanted them.
When I was a kid, my dad used to get tickets all the time from work. I have two brothers, so I only got to go a third of the time, but it was clearly a lucky break, since I haven’t gone since he retired. Last night was, in fact, the first time ever this working class stiff was able to pay for his own tickets. Huzzah!
Previous Games
I saw Hartford in 1987, and then Dallas in ’97 and again in ’98 at one of the last ever games at Maple Leaf Gardens. I remember thinking it was cool I had gotten to go to MLG three times, but lame they lost all three games.
At the ACC I had centre ice reds to see the Panthers, and the Leafs lost 8-0. I saw the Sabres, Coyotes, the Canucks in Owen Nolan’s first game (a 4-4 tie if I remember correctly), and a game where Phil Kessel scored in a shootout to beat Montreal. Plus also the previously mentioned game against the Wild.
Career record: 2-7-1
Of all the games I have gone to, last night was the absolute best. It was my first time seeing Matthews, Marner, Tavares and Liljegren. It was the first time I saw them win other than a shootout, but what made it best was going with my son, who cheered, danced and screamed for the entire game.
Last Night
Sitting twice behind the Rangers Net, I met a very nice gentleman with many tattoos on his head, and I discussed boy bands with another lovely person to my right. We all had a lovely time. I met a Rangers fan who enjoyed jeering all the rich fat-cats in our section, and there was a crazy guy who spent most of the game unsuccessfully cheerleading our section with his back to the ice.
What a time! The price was exorbitant ($600 for tickets, $50 in gas/subway/parking, $65 on concessions, $15 on a 50/50 ticket, $55 on a hat for the kid, then a whole bunch of money on the way to and from) but it was 100% worth it.
The Leafs really do put on a good show in the arena, and other than not being able to find a program or leave the arena between periods, I don’t have any complaints. (Except: $8 cokes and $14 cans of beer make it seem like MLSE are price-gouging lunatics who do not respect their fans).
Overall, I have to say, it was fun to leave the working class behind for an evening and getting to act like a silly millionaire, sipping on $14 beer hanging with fat-cats. But, that wasn’t the best part. The best part was witnessing a 10 year old kid lose their mind when Mitch Marner scored the game-winning goal (which reminds me, they need a longer intermission between the 3rd and OT because some people have to pee).
All the games we watch, all the arguments we have, it’s really nothing like being there. What a time.