NHL Virgin No More

Until this evening all my live hockey viewing was restricted to minor league games like the Austin Ice Bats and Long Beach Ice Dogs. So tonight when I attended my first NHL game I was not only glad to finally not have to watch a team names partially after the surface they skated upon, but also for the grand welcome I received to NHL hockey. Rich had a pair a great seats to a game at the Honda Center between the Ducks and Blackhawks. Like a few years ago when I attended a game at legendary Wrigley Field for a Cubs game, my inaugural NHL game could not have been better. The Ducks jumped out to a first period 3-1 lead. En route to this lead the new rough, classic hockey character to the post-Disney Ducks was shown in a first period fight. The second period was much less eventful, but the third period returned to the early form of the first with gusto. A series of penalties allowed the Blackhawks to crawl their way back into the game brining the score to 4-3. Within seconds of that third Blackhawk goal, Teemu Selanne responded with his third of the night. First game first hat trick. One more goal was on its way not a minute later brining the game to its final score of 6-3. In addition to the fast paced offensive display that last period was also marked with a return to the rough and tough swaggard of the first period and included a fight started by the Blackhawks goalie. Seriously there was not much one could have hoped for out of a first NHL game than this.