The Pennsylvania Polka

(Editor’s note: these two games not only weren’t that close together timewise, but were in two different seasons, really the only reason I’m combining them is because I’m trying to get through my backlog because I’ve really slacked off on this little blog, and they’re in the same state)

Pennsylvania is a fairly large state. As a large state, it has multiple large cities, two of them have multiple professional sports teams. Pittsburgh in the west, and Philadelphia in the East both have NHL teams, and I went to see both of them at home.

First, near the end of the 2016-17 season, I went to see the Pittsburgh Penguins playing against the Blackhawks. Pittsburgh is an interesting town. Unlike many places I didn’t need to spend the night because it’s only a few hours drive from my house. However, I still managed to check out the city extensively, especially because it wasn’t the first time I had come. There’s plenty to do in town, even if Cleveland is objectively better.

Despite being less than 10 years old, the PPG Paints Arena has already had two different names. Opened in 2010 as the Consol Energy Center, the building replaced the old Civic Arena, host to many notable events, including but not limited to, King of the Ring 1998 (the one where Mick Foley almost died twice), the film Sudden Death, and some hockey games. In an ironic twist, the team was actually named after the arena, instead of vice versa. The Civic Arena looked like an igloo, so it was nicknamed The Igloo. Penguins and Igloos made sense, so that’s why in a league of terrifying things like Hurricanes, Coyotes, and Maple Leafs, there’s a team named after the most adorable flightless bird there is.

The arena, for being so new, is...ok. Oddly in all the events I’ve been to there only seems to be one way in, through an entrance foyer at the base of a hill (did I mention that Pittsburgh is hilly? Pittsburgh is hilly). Walking past the rest of the building there doesn’t seem to be another entrance. Luckily the inside is good, even if the concourse for the 300 level is a little narrow.

While the building is more than adequate, the important thing is the action on the ice. As mentioned, I was there to see the Penguins take on the Blackhawks. Thankfully, there weren’t any bombs planted around the arena (I really need to actually see that movie). The only destruction that happened was on the ice, as the visitors came and BLEW UP the Penguins’ defense. That was the most important thing, that the Penguins got beat badly by the Blackhawks. The Hawks scored 4 in the first period, all by different players, and coasted to an easy 5-1 victory on national TV. Best game ever? Best game ever.

It was a great day, thanks sign.

So with Pittsburgh down and in the rear view mirror, it only makes sense to lump this in with the team from the other side of the Keystone state, their arch rivals the Philadelphia Flyers. Now this isn’t the first time I had been to a Flyers game in Philly, as you may remember the 2012 Winter Classic (also in the recently mentioned New York trip, coincidentally). Now, unlike most every other place, Philadelphia has all of their major sports arenas in the same complex, so when I was at the Winter Classic at Citizens Bank Park (I think that’s still the name), I went right past the Wells Fargo Arena, where history was made in 2010 (you thought I wouldn’t bring that up?). Lincoln Financial Field, where the Eagles play, is also right nearby, and I even walked by it because that’s where we had parked this time. I actually think this is a pretty smart idea, as it allows the parking area for all the teams to be used when only one is playing, and it makes it easier for people coming from out of town to know where to go. Unfortunately it’s not close to the cheesesteak places.

Philly was playing Minnesota, who I feel like I’ve seen at least a dozen times. The game was a relatively unmemorable event, Minnesota won 1-0 on a third period goal.

Despite the lacking legroom (which is an unfortunately common complaint, I’m obviously too tall for sporting events), the arena was enjoyable, if not memorable. The concourses were nice and wide, unlike in Pittsburgh (at least way up in the 300s). It was easy enough to properly navigate, and the team shop was nice, and even sold game used pucks, which I’m a little upset I didn’t grab one.

Unfortunately, since I went during the 2017-18 season, and haven’t been back since, I didn’t get to see the greatest mascot in Philadelphia sports, Gritty. Obviously I need to go back just to be assaulted by the googley eyed monster thing. Maybe next year. In all, the Wells Fargo Arena in Philly is a pretty good place to watch a hockey game, if it doesn’t seemingly stand out much. Though that likely has a lot to do with writing this over a year after the fact.