The 2010 National Hockey League Winter Classic!

So I got the call the other day from a friend in Jersey that there was a free extra ticket to the NHL's 2010 Winter Classic with my name on it. Needless to say I jumped on the chance to go. The game was a lot of fun and was first class in every respect. It was incredible to watch a hockey game at a classic venue like Fenway Park. Below are some pictures and videos from the day.

The view from my seat:

The view to the right:

The game as it started to get dark:


The military marching on and other pregame festivities:


The "Green Monstah":


The view to the left of my seat:

First video is the street outside Fenway about an hour prior to game time. Needless to say it was crazy out there.

Next video is a quick view of what the stadium was like pregame.

Next is the Philadelphia Flyers getting a warm welcome from the Boston faithful.

Last video was the military guys marching on to the field to Dropkick Murphy's live performance of "I'm Shipping Up to Boston" which was pretty sweet.

The Stanley Cup

The Pittsburgh Penguins are the Stanley Cup Champions. No matter how many times I see the Stanley Cup presented I am amazed at how special it is. Having worked my entire life to reach the level of hockey that I did, I can only imagine the feeling of accomplishment at having won the world's most coveted trophy. The trophy is the embodiment of what our great game is all about; hard work, dedication, adversity, and passion. Even if you do not watch the game of hockey you have to see a Stanley Cup presentation. It truly is a sight to see watching the joy and camaraderie of the players who carry it above their heads as they take a victory lap around the ice. It is that pure moment of joy that is what hockey, sports, and life in general is all about.

Which Is Your Favorite Gino?

Not only do I think Alexander Ovechkin is the best player in the NHL at the moment, I think he is also the most exciting. Some of the goals this guy scores make NHL players look like beer league ankle benders. Check out this link and watch/vote on your favorite Ovie goals. You can thank me later for delivering these delicious dangles directly to you.

Goal Of The Playoffs By The NHL's Best Player

Before the game Alexander Ovechkin told Capital fans "don't give up hope yet." In an almost prophetic promise he delivered this beauty. This is the best goal of the playoffs by a player who I think is unarguably the best player to lace up a pair of skates this season. This guy does it all and I hope they make an amazing comeback from their 3-1, now 3-2, deficit in the series against the Rangers so we can be treated with more exciting stuff like this. Wow. What a gamer.

NHL Trade Tracker

The trade deadline has passed and there was a lot of last minute action. There are some deals that I will be watching to see how they play out as the playoffs unfold. It's always hard to say who got the better deal, especially in situations where draft picks are involved. I would say in the new salary cap era it is safe to say that draft picks are a bit more valuable than they were in the past as drafting teams seem to be outperforming free agent teams in the new NHL. I love the trade deadline deals in the NHL. Partly because I think hockey is the greatest game ever and I am most familiar with it. But part of it is the playoff dynamic that exists in the NHL. Those who have never watched playoff hockey before do yourself a favor and check out a game. The intensity and passion elevate to new heights come post season, and it truly is a great thing to watch. Another great thing about the Stanley Cup Playoffs is that it is so unpredictable. This isn't the NBA, the best team on paper isn't a shoe in to win the whole thing. Rarely has a team won the regular season race and gone on to win the Stanley Cup. Part of it is who gets hot at the right time (especially a team with a hot goaltender), part of it is staying injury free, and another part is your transactions at the deadline to either build for the future or fill in a need for the playoff push. There are some teams that are definitely tooling for the playoffs this year and its going to be exciting to see the new team dynamics that emerge as we head towards another exciting Stanley Cup race. Check out the tracker here and post comments on who your horse is to win the greatest quest in sports.

Hockey Meets Metal

Not only is Jere Lehtinen a great all around hockey player that has been in the NHL for a long time, he is a long time metalhead and the Pro Hockey embodiment of me. This guy is as big a hockey fan as he is a metalist. Man the only thing people from Finland love more than metal is drinking! Honestly, they really do love metal. I met a few NHL Finn wives and they were talking to me about metal. My wife and I are sitting there talking to Teppo Numminen's wife, and she is telling me how her and my childhood hero/Megadeth mastermind Dave Mustaine are great friends. How awesome is that? Probably not that cool to you, or my wife for that matter. True story. Thanks to my buddy Ope (who is in the process of writing a guest blog for me) for the link. SLAAAAAYER!