I’m a person who never feels earthquakes.
I don’t know what it is, people always ask me, “did you feel that earthquake this morning?” And I have to give them a puzzled look each time.
Sunday I experienced four earthquakes in a three-hour span, each of them located in the upper level of the Scotiabank Saddledome in Calgary.
I went to “Cow town” over the weekend to take in my first ever NHL playoff game between the Vancouver Canucks and the Calgary Flames.
As the regular season was coming to a close, it became more and more clear there was a distinct chance the two rivals might match up in another playoff series. I wasted no time when deciding to buy tickets to the first Flames home game of the series.
The thing was, I still wasn’t sure if the Flames were going to make the post season.
When I bought the tickets the Flames still had three games left, and there was about an 85 per cent chance they would make the playoffs.
Eighty-five was more than enough for me, as I asked my friend Mike if he would want to come with me. Like I had to ask, the British Columbia native would never turn down an opportunity to see his beloved Canucks in playoff action.
I bought four tickets so Mike’s friend Ryan and my friend Steph, both of whom live in Calgary, could come along as well.
After stopping in Edmonton briefly on our way to Calgary Saturday morning, Mike and I went our separate ways for the rest of Saturday and all day Sunday to catch up with our friends.
I stayed with two friends of mine from Whitehorse, and we went out on the town spending too much money in the process.
Sunday was the big day, it was time to get excited for the game. Actually I had been excited since the moment I bought the tickets, but my excitement levels were just going into overdrive with puck drop hours away.
After meeting up with Steph, we walked to Ryan’s high-rise condo in downtown Calgary, located a 10-minute walk from the Saddledome.
The view from the windows lining his condo I’m looking through as I write this are spectacular. It only solidifies my desire to one day live in a condo like this, though I’d prefer to live in Vancouver rather than Calgary.
How much is in my savings account again? Right, only a few more million to go.
The time had come for us to head to the Saddledome, and I have to thank Ryan for having an extra Canucks jersey available.
Little to my knowledge, Steph borrowed a friend’s Flames jersey so she was the recipient of high fives and cheers while walking down the street.
I was offered the same, but when I responded, “Let’s go Canucks!” while wearing a black polo, you’d think I had insulted these people’s own mothers as cheers quickly turned to boos and a chorus of, “you’re in the wrong town, buddy!”
Now with a blue jersey in a sea of red it was clear to those around me where my allegiance was, which only intensified the distain sent my way.
After walking into the arena, we were told which way was fastest to get our tickets checked.
“You can head this way,” said the usher to Steph. I began following her when he said, “Oh no, you’re supposed to head back where you came from.” Friendly ribbing, even from the arena workers.
Naturally, the first thing I did once I got past security was buy a 50/50 ticket. More on that later. No, I didn’t win, so don’t get your hopes up.
Mike and Ryan went down to the Canucks bench to watch them come out of the tunnel for warm ups. They were also given some iconic rally towels that the Canucks place on every seat at Rogers Arena during home playoff games.
Steph and I meanwhile began the trek up to our seats, which was nearly a full-fledged workout in itself.
I feel like I haven’t climbed that many steps since I went from the first floor to the second floor of the Eiffel Tower in 2008. It’s a good thing I’m more in shape now than I was a few years ago, or I may not have made it to the top.
Our seats were about six rows from being at the very top of the Saddledome. When I told people where my seats were before going to Calgary, some told me, “There’s TVs up there because you’re so far up you can’t see the ice.”
I don’t know about you, but the higher the better in my mind when it comes to watching a hockey game in person. When you sit a few rows up from the glass you can’t see everything that’s going on down on the ice.
I had a phenomenal view of the ice, so I could easily see the Canucks drop a 4-2 decision.
I was giddy before warm ups began, and couldn’t help but crack a smile as I watched the players I watch on TV regularly march out of the tunnel and onto the ice.
Conveniently enough we ended up sitting next to another pair of Canucks fans, with more scattered about the arena. They were easy to spot, just look for things that aren’t red.
Once the game was ready to go, Steph and I boisterously sang along with the Canadian anthem to get ourselves even more excited for the game. Though she’s not exactly a huge hockey fan, I could tell she was having fun when the Flames would score and everyone around cheered and high-fived each other.
Remember those earthquakes I mentioned? The first was triggered by Brandon Bollig beating Eddie Lack just a few minutes into the game.
It’s truly something to behold. You can see the collective arms of nearly everyone in the arena simultaneously shoot into the air, while everyone screams. You feel it in your seat, you feel it in your head and you feel it in your heart as you stay seated while everyone else is having the time of their lives.
Thankfully the Canucks responded just two minutes later. Now it was our turn to have fun, the scattered Canucks fans high-fiving the few amongst a throng of red jerseys, cheering as loud as they can.
But the Richter Scale reared it’s ugly head again before the period was over, as TJ Brodie’s point shot beat Lack sending the Flames faithful into a frenzy again.
The eruption of the crowd is something that will never get old, regardless of whether it’s in favour of the team I’m supporting or not.
During the game I didn’t hear too many verbal jabs from Flames fans, though that’s probably because behind me were children, and to my right was an older gentleman. The lone Canucks fan two rows ahead of me was not so lucky.
Directly in front of me was a group of about eight middle-aged Flames fans, and they wasted no opportunities to let this poor Canucks fan know he was in enemy territory.
Whether it was using their thundersticks directly above his head, clapping right into his ear or yelling six inches from the back of his head, I applaud his ability not to lose his composure during the ordeal.
Especially late in the game when it was looking more and more like it was going to be a Flames win. It appeared this guy was falling asleep, so two of these Flames fans took it upon themselves to take pictures of their middle fingers directed toward this guy.
They even began flicking his ear, which was pushing me closer to leaning in and saying something to stand up for a fellow fan, before he decided it was time to leave after the Flames fourth and final goal.
Of course that’s when things were at their worst.
As he struggled to make his way past the horde of cheering Flames fans, it seems his glasses were knocked off at some point as he began looking for them while still being berated by others.
Once he finally escaped, these guys felt as if their duty was done as they high fived and cheered all over again.
As for the 50/50, halfway through the third period I was ready to check my ticket to confirm that I wasn’t actually going to win the $102,000.
I reached into my pocket only to discover my ticket must have fallen out at some point, because it was nowhere to be found.
It’s obvious to me I actually had the winning ticket, only to lose it before the draw. OK, it’s very likely that isn’t the case, but I would never forgive myself if by some cruel twist of fate that’s actually what transpired.
After the final horn rang we had to make our way out of the arena through thousands of happy and intoxicated Flames fans.
I got jeers on the way, I got a flag draped over my face while walking down some stairs and I even got a fake punch to the head once I had made it outside the front gate.
Steph and I found other Canucks fans and I joked that we needed to all stay together, lest the rabid Flames fans corner us one by one and finish us off.
Once Steph got on the train to head back to her car I was fully alone while making the short walk back to Ryan’s condo where Mike and Ryan already were.
I won’t write here some of the things that were thrown my way while making that walk, but I can assure you they ranged from friendly chirping to fighting words.
Despite the fact I paid nearly $200 to watch the Canucks lose, or the fact that I paid nearly $200 to be looked down upon like some kind of leper, the experience is something that I’ll always remember.
Our seats were located behind the broadcast booths, so I caught a quick glimpse of CBC play-by-play commentator Jim Hughson.
I saw the legendary Brian Burke making his way towards his box for the third period. And yes, his tie was undone.
It was a personal goal of mine to never pay to get into a hockey game for the rest of my life, since I want to be in a position in my career that I don’t have to.
But I’d gladly spend some of my hard-earned money to watch a playoff game between two bitter rivals again.
Just hoping for a better outcome next time.
