Toronto Maple Leafs 4 at Dallas Stars 3 (SO) - November 25, 2011

Black Friday was anything but for me. Although I did a bit of early shopping, I spent most of the early part of the day touring a couple of attractions in Fort Worth, including a fantastic Caravaggio exhibition at the Kimbell Art Museum.

After that, I headed back to Dallas to enjoy the evening's entertainment: the Leafs taking on the Stars. It would be the 17th time I would witness the Buds on the road, and with a cumulative 4-11-1 record up till now, I was desperately hoping for a victory. As I walked to the American Airlines Center, I was happy to see plenty of other Leaf fans; there were so many of us that the building was sold out for the first time this season.

American Airlines Center

Located on the edge of downtown Dallas in Victory Park, the AAC is home to the defending champion Dallas Mavericks (no banner yet though, thanks to the just-finished lockout) as well as the Stars. It opened in 2001 and is still a great place to watch a top-notch sporting event.

There is plenty of parking around the stadium for $15. I drove around a bit before the game and didn't find any free parking in the immediate vicinity, but since I was staying in a hotel about a mile away, I didn't look very hard. There is also transit available, with DART's Victory station mere steps away from the stadium.

From the outside, the stadium is very impressive. As I drove north on 35E, the AAC majestically appeared on my right. It could be an old train station or airport terminal, and with the naming rights purchased by American, the locals often refer to it as "The Hangar".

There are entrances on each side of the building, but it is the south side that includes AT&T Plaza, which is where various events are held and a large screen shows highlights and other videos both before and after the game (above).

Tickets for hockey are not cheap but not ridiculously overpriced, particularly for the upper deck. I found a seat in third row at the blueline for $45 which was more than reasonable. Considering that lower bowl seats range from $70 to $300, the upper bowl is the better choice. Sightlines from here were perfectly fine.

The two seating levels are separated by the luxury boxes and club seats. The concourses are spacious enough as you can see below.

There are few bells and whistles once inside. On the lower concourse, one atrium has some small model AA airplanes hanging (above), and there is a cool exhibit illustrating just how high Dirk Nowitzki can jump (138") and testing your vertical leap as well (below). There is also the Jack Daniels Old No. 7 Club which offered appetizers and seemed popular with the locals.

The upper concourse is more limited, with the Dr. Pepper Plant (below), a small eatery with a bit of history about the beverage invented in Waco back in 1885.

Food options are plentiful and there are concessions everywhere. I had an Italian sausage from Sheriff Blaylocks which I would recommend, it was piled high with peppers and onions and made for a full meal for the three hours I was there.

The end zones have scoreboards that show other statistics on a continuous basis, something that I really appreciate.

Overall, AAC is an excellent venue for hockey. There isn't a lot of history yet, but they do have plenty of banners celebrating their success, including that one Stanley Cup banner that Buffalo fans refuse to acknowledge. The place is clean, staff are friendly, and the fans were great, even to a visit team supporter like myself. If you haven't been here, put it on your to-see list.

The Game

The Leafs and Stars had both started strongly but had faded of late, with Toronto lying 5th in the East at 12-8-2 while Dallas was 4th in the West at 13-8. This was the third of a 4-game road trip for Toronto, who had thrashed Tampa Bay 7-1 three days earlier behind a suddenly potent power play. The Stars were finishing up a 4-game homestand in which they had won the last two.

Given that the previous day was Thanksgiving, I expected a lethargic start but Dallas jumped out quickly when Eric Nystrom took a pass from Michael Ryder, deked around Phil Kessel and beat Jonas Gustavsson (above) with a low wrist shot to make it 1-0 after just 4 minutes.

In past seasons, I would have expected the Leafs to fold but this team is different and they fought back quickly. Just after the midway mark of the period, Joey Crabb deflected a Dion Phaneuf (above in the warmup) point shot on a play that looked to be offside and then Phaneuf himself added a power play tally 4 minutes later that just got under Kari Lehtonen (below, also in the warmup). The period finished with the teams level in shots at 7, so it wasn't a barnburner by any means.

The second period was highlighted by a fantastic Dallas goal. The puck began behind the Stars net and was moved forward via just four passes, with each player on the ice touching the puck once. It went Grossman to Daley to Benn to Dvorak to Nystrom who tipped the puck past a helpless Gustavsson. I don't like seeing the Leafs scored upon, but in this case, I had to admire the brilliance of the play. It's worth checking the highlight out here.

There were further problems in the second with two Leafs getting knocked out of the game. Both David Steckel and Carl Gunnarson were hit on the hand by shots and had to leave. Coincidentally, I was taking pictures when Gunnarson got dinged, which you can see below.

The third period was tough for Toronto. Down two men and on the road, I was hoping they could hold out for overtime as Dallas completely controlled the play, outshooting Toronto 6-0 in the early going. Only a couple of miracle stops by Gustavsson kept the Leafs in the game. Then against the flow, Tim Connolly threw what appeared to be a blind pass to the front of the net where a streaking Clarke MacArthur tipped it home with 13 minutes to go. The play was reviewed and emphatically called a "good goal".

However, the Leafs were visibly flagging and couldn't stave off the relentless Dallas attack. Eventually Dvorak tied it after the Stars had maintained possession in the Toronto zone for at least a minute. It was obvious that the Leafs were tired and when they drew a stupid penalty with 3:38 to go, I was sure it would be the end. Again though, this squad is different and they managed to kill the penalty and even get a power play in the process. Although that did not yield any goals, it did bring us to the end of regulation and the Leafs had secured a point.

Overtime was scoreless with the Leafs gaining the only two shots to finish the contest down 29-23 in that category. That brought on the shootout, the third in four games for me at a Leafs game. The Leafs had won the previous two, so I was quite hopeful as Gustavsson had been solid all night.

After the first two shooters for each team missed, Joffrey Lupul beat Kari Lehtonen to the short side to give the Leafs the advantage (below, the puck is in the net already).

The Stars' last shooter was Mike Ribeiro, who has a patented move that was highlighted during one of the intermissions. In that move, he turns sideways and brings the puck from his backhand to the forehand, trying to flip it over the netminder. Gustavsson must have seen the video because he was prepared and although the puck dribbled to the line, it didn't go in.

Leafs win! Leafs win! It was the first time I had seen a Leafs road victory by myself, as in the past other fans had joined me. I was a bit sad to not have anyone to high-five with, but the whole trip to Dallas was worth it just to see the scoreboard below.

Notes

The Stanley Cup was in the house as the Stars had it brought to town for a local tournament. It was at Cowboys Stadium the day before and then here, drawing a line of fans who wanted a picture of themselves with Lord Stanley.

After the game, I paid a visit to the nearby Fan Sports Lounge, where I was offered the grand sum of $40 for my vintage #7 Greg Terrion jersey. Needless to say, I refused the offer. Nothing less than $40,000 for those interested.

I flew back on Sunday, missing the Leafs 5-2 win in Anaheim. Three in a row on the road?! Seriously, this team is good and so much more fun to watch than two years ago. Already planning my trip to Alberta in February.

Best,

Sean

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Texas Thanksgiving Trip!

It's been a long, boring summer for me, as work has prevented me from traveling as much as I'd like. However, the project I'm working on is finishing up in late November, so I thought I could swing a short west coast trip before Christmas. I checked out the Leafs' schedule and sure enough, they are in Anaheim on November 27th. I also noticed that they are visiting Dallas two nights before, and the American Airlines Center is one of the few NHL rinks that I have yet to visit. That Friday is part of the American Thanksgiving weekend and the Dallas Cowboys have a holiday home game the day before against the winless Miami Dolphins, who are battling Indianapolis and St. Louis for the right to draft Andrew Luck.

That Wednesday is a holiday here, which usually means air tickets are outrageously expensive. After some searching though, I found a reasonably-priced flight departing on Wednesday and returning Sunday. This opened up Saturday as a possible sports day and a quick check of college schedules showed an SMU football game would be played in Dallas. Suddenly we had the makings of a whirlwind sports road trip.

I checked the AHL schedule but there isn't a team close enough (the Texas Stars are about 3 hours south in Cedar Park). Fortunately, the Central Hockey League has four Texas-based teams and one of them is the Texas Brahmas who play just a few minutes from the airport. Amazingly they have a game that starts about an hour after my flight lands. It will be a tight squeeze, but I hope to make it. The full schedule is as follows:

Wed Nov 23  Arizona Sundogs at Texas Brahmas 7:00 (CHL)
Thu Nov 24  Miami Dolphins at Dallas Cowboys 3:15
Fri Nov 25  Toronto Maple Leafs at Dallas Stars 7:30
Sat Nov 26  Rice Owls at SMU Mustangs TBD (NCAA Football)
Sat Nov 26  Samford Bulldogs at UT Arlington Mavericks 7:00

That's it. Since the NBA is locked out, there won't be any Mavericks' games to see. Update: I might be seeing a Mavericks' game after all, just not the NBA variety. The University of Texas at Arlington Mavericks have a game on Saturday night - whether I can make it depends on what time the SMU game starts.

It's going to be a quick trip, but a lot of fun. Check back then for reports on all those games plus more. I can hardly wait!

Best,

Sean

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Dallas Stars 2 at Columbus Blue Jackets 3 (SO) - December 6, 2010

After a quick morning flight to Cleveland (Delta Connection plane below), I rented my $1-a-day car and drove 2 hours south to Columbus to watch the Dallas Stars take on the Blue Jackets. As I moved south on I-71, there were a few flurries, but after 30 miles or so, it cleared up and was smooth the rest of the way.

Nationwide Arena

One of the NHL's premier facilities, Nationwide Arena is the centerpiece of a downtown renewal project that has completely altered Columbus and made it one of the best sports travel destinations in the US.

Located just south of I-670 along Nationwide Boulevard, the arena is actually owned by Nationwide Insurance, whose head office is right across the street. The area is now known as the Arena District and includes eateries, bars, hotels, and Huntington Park, where the AAA Columbus Clippers play. Unfortunately, it was extremely cold, so I just took a cursory walk around, but was definitely impressed with the old-style look of the area and would like to return for an extended visit.

There are two main entrances to the venue, one next to the ticket office at the corner of Nationwide and McConnell Blvds, the other is near the corner of Nationwide Blvd and Front Street (above). I entered at the former and was immediately impressed with the spaciousness. Two escalators and stairs led up to the main concourse. Once there, the openness of the area is most notable, with open views to the seating bowl, which is uncommon in hockey arenas.

If you use the other entrance, you will be on the Bud Light Terrace, a huge area with some interesting games and features, including a steel hockey game that you have to line up to play with about 10 other people (below).

Like Minnesota, high school hockey jerseys are on display. There's also lots of bars and food options in this area, including my favourite arena concession, namely Tim Horton's. The iconic Canadian fast food joint has increased its presence in the northern US and you can grab a donut for $1 here, the best bargain in any sports venue (I got an apple fritter!). However, the most notable feature here is the Goal Cannon, a Civil War reproduction that fires whenever the Blue Jackets take the ice or score. I've read people complain about the noise that it makes, but I found it within reason; it is a great touch and so much better than the horns that blare at every other arena.

As you walk around the lower concourse, you will see a number of interesting displays such as one commemorating the 10-year history of the Blue Jackets (that's Rick Nash's Rocket Richard trophy above), another containing hats thrown on the ice for Blue Jacket hat tricks, and a great display detailing how the late John McConnell worked tirelessly to create the Blue Jackets franchise (below). McConnell is a hero to Jacket fans and with good reason, he was the driving force behind the new team and there are several mementos around the arena dedicated to his memory.

Tickets are somewhat expensive here, with the good lower bowl seats going for $85, but there are options for those on a budget too. Two hours before every game, 250 Huntington seats go on sale for just $10. They are at the top of the second deck, but at least you are in the building. There are also deals for certain games, so check in advance or ask at the ticket office first.

With the Jackets struggling recently though, I found plenty of cheap seats from scalpers outside and ended up getting a $100 club seat for $40. Think I could have gotten it cheaper if I had been willing to negotiate or wait a bit, but it was ridiculously cold so I took it and went in. The club seats are just above the lower deck but I would not recommend taking them; the benefits of the club are fairly limited (you get stats updates after each period and some very nice but expensive restaurant options) and you can't move lower that easily.

Beautiful lower concourse from the club area

At a couple of corners stand the party towers which are for groups and look pretty interesting. The problem with doing these roadtrips is I only get one chance to see the stadium and it would be fun to visit a few times and get to try the other seating options.

The view from the upper deck was pretty good, and I was intrigued to notice that the sections behind the net the Blue Jackets defend twice are a bit lower than those at the other end. So if you want to be close to the ice, look at the lower rows in sections 221-227.

Overall, this is another great hockey facility. There's even a practice rink on site, which the Blue Jackets use. With the surrounding area filled with amenities, this is one place every hockey fan should visit. Just try to be there when it's slightly warmer!

The Game

After the craptacular weekend in Minnesota, I actually had a pretty good matchup to watch. Dallas was second in the west and on a 6-game winning streak, while Columbus was a respectable 14-10-1, although they had lost 5 in a row. Kari Lehtonen (stretching below) started for the Stars while backup Mathieu Garon was in goal for the Blue Jackets.

The home team got off to a quick start on a beautiful goal. Just over 5 minutes in, Jakub Voracek and Kris Russell executed a perfect give-and-go, and Russell was able to lift a backhand shot into the top corner behind a surprised Lehtonen.

Matt Niskanen finishes a check

After that, there was little to talk about, with few chances for either team. Dallas could only muster 5 shots in the first, while Columbus had 7.

Mike Ribiero just misses

The second period wasn't much more interesting, although Dallas began to assert control, controlling the puck for extended periods. Even then, they were only able to direct 5 shots at Garon, but one was a goal. The Jackets turned it over at their blue line and Brad Richards was the lucky recipient, taking a pass from James Neal, getting open in the slot, and wristing one that Garon partially gloved, but not enough to stop it from bouncing into the net . It was a bad goal and Dallas were lucky to head to the third tied at one.

R.J. Umberger in front

Things finally picked up in the third and the Stars took the lead 8 minutes in when Steve Ott and Trevor Daley (below in the warmup) ran a little give-and-go of their own; Ott converting the snap shot low into the far corner.

The Stars then went on the defensive and it looked like they would hold on until a cheap holding penalty was called on Karlis Skrastins with just 1:50 to go. The Columbus player was barely touched but fell like a ton of bricks and the ref bought it, giving the Blue Jackets one final chance. With Garon on the bench, Rick Nash (warming up above) tied the game on a low shot that beat a screened Lehtonen with 46.8 seconds left (below) and set up overtime, the second in two games on the trip. Again, nothing was decided in the extra five minutes and a shootout was required.

Nash scored on the first shot beating Lehtonen low to the stick side (below) and when Garon saved Neal's attempt, it looked good for Columbus.

But Lehtonen stopped Nikita Filotov's shot and Richards scored on a deke (below) to even the shootout at one.

This brought Kyle Wilson out for his first ever shootout opportunity and he made no mistake, beating Lehtonen in the same manner as Nash, which put all the pressure on Jamie Benn. He skated in very slowly, getting close and trying for the deke, but Garon stuck out the leg to deny him with a toe save and Columbus escaped with a 3-2 shootout victory to end both streaks.

Nash is the first star

It was amazing how similar this game was to the one I saw in Minnesota. The home team grabbed the lead, only to give up 2 goals before tying it to force overtime. But today's game saw the Blue Jackets win the shootout, so it was a better result, even if it was a bit ref-assisted. And a reminder to never leave early, as many did.

Notes

There is a bar called the Blue Zone after Labatt's Blue, a Canadian import. They have $4 pints after the game and I dropped in to check out the MNF game but it was already 24-3 for New England, so I didn't stay. It was pretty empty though, so I guess people just wanted to get home.

Next Up

I'm in Morgantown now and about to head out to an NCAA game between Robert Morris and the Mountaineers. It's my first sporting event in West Virginia and I'll have a recap tomorrow.

Best,

Sean

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