Hello and welcome to Ice-Capades!
I want to continue the theme of my first Ice-Capades edition to share some of my personal experiences at NHL and PWHL games during the past two seasons. I’ve added some commentary on each!
January 22, 2024–Colorado Avalanche versus the Philadelphia Flyers, Avalanche won 7-4 with Avalanche player Logan O'Connor recording a hat trick.
Other than the Flyers giving up a touchdown, this game is memorable for me because it was the first game I attended, and it was also memorable for Carter Hart, the Flyers’ goalie. It was the last game he played before getting indicted for sexual assault of a minor after winning the 2018 World Juniors1 . As the score indicates, things were already heading south for Carter. Still, look at that absolutely perfect sight line I have to the blue line! (Thanks, Mom!)
It took me a while to attend another game, mostly due to the obligations of finishing my major requirements.2 I took what spare time I had to catch up on the years of NHL history I missed, which included watching a documentary about the 2000 Eastern Conference Finals, remembered by Flyers’ fans for the vicious career-altering injury suffered by Eric Lindros at the hands of New Jersey defenseman Scott Stevens. I also brushed up on NHL happenings coming into the 2024- 2025 season via several hockey YouTubers. The Ollie who attended the game on November 16 between the Flyers and Sabres was a much more informed fan than the Ollie at their first-ever NHL game, as shown above.
November 16–Flyers versus Sabres, Flyers won 5-2.—
I find this picture of Devon Levi sitting on his pads and staring forlornly at the ice a reflection of the fourteen years of failure the Sabres have endured. All I can say is that the Flyers dominated the Sabres, and I had an amazing time. Unfortunately, the Flyers’ defense plus goaltender Ivan Fedotov allowed the Sabres to score two goals, which ruined his chance at a shutout. This also may have been partially my fault. My Mom and I left early (I know, I know) when the score was still 5-0, and as we left, I told my mom that Fedotov would get a shutout, only to hear seconds later that the Sabres had scored.
November 23rd, Flyers-Blackhawks, Flyers won 3-2 in overtime.
A few weeks later, I attended the Flyers-Blackhawks game, best remembered for a clutch overtime winner by rookie sensation Matvei Michkov. Before then, the Flyers’ performance can best be represented by this selfie I took; face-palm worthy. Petr Mrazek held his own for two full periods, and the Blackhawks took a 2-0 lead into the third period.
However, Mrazek’s defense let him down, allowing the Flyers to tie up the game and send it to overtime. The Blackhawks took a penalty, and on the ensuing rush, Travis Konecny threaded a pass to Michkov, who buried the game-winner. I actually did not know that it was Michkov who had scored the overtime winner; everyone was out of their seats before I could see!. I had to watch the scoreboard replay to see that it was him who had tucked home the game-winner. I was very excited to see my first-ever overtime game and witness some overtime Matvei magic!
January 13–Florida Panthers versus the Philadelphia Flyers, Flyers won 4-3
My mom got me tickets for Christmas for a Flyers-Panthers game, which I attended in the new year. I hoped for a close game given the Panthers were last season’s Stanley Cup champions; however, the Flyers surpassed my expectations and won that game.
The Panthers had many standout moments, including Sam Reinhart scoring a shorthanded goal, and (long-ago former Flyer goalie) Sergei “Bob” Bobrovsky making some quality stops. But the moment that I kept talking about later was when Panther Uvis Balinskis scored a goal that looked like it had just rung off the post. But the replays showed that Balinskis had shot the puck through a screen of teammates to beat goaltender Sam Ersson between his legs.
My record thus far in attending NHL games is 3-1-1; the home team has won three games, lost one, and had one game go to overtime. I hope to not only attend games in Wells Fargo, but also go to other hockey stadiums. One place I would love to go to is the Bell Center in Montreal; I have watched games from there on TV and would love to be in the crowd.
March 22-Ottawa Charge versus the New York Sirens, Charge won 5-2.
I have also started following the PWHL this season. It helps that the games are easier to access than many NHL games, as they are broadcast on YouTube rather than the patchwork of streaming services that watching the NHL requires. [The easier access does, however, depend on where one is watching the PWHL. In Canada, PWHL fans have to face the same level of regional blackouts as they do for NHL games.] In the PWHL, I like the Montreal Victoire because of how many amazing players don their uniform. Marie-Philip Poulin, also known as Captain Clutch due to her game-winning goals while playing for Team Canada, and her wife, Laura Stacey, are some of the most famous female hockey players. On goaltending, the Victoire have Ann Renee Desbiens, the French-Canadian brick wall, and her backup, Elaine Chuli, who has received more playing time due to a leg injury that has put Desbiens on LTIR (Long Term Injured Reserve).
However, I did not get to see them for my first game, as I do not live near Montreal. Instead, my mom and I drove up to New Jersey to watch the New York Sirens take on the Ottawa Charge in the Prudential Center.
Despite the Sirens' loss, the atmosphere at the Prudential Center was electric. The Sirens, using Patrick’s Wee-woo as their goal horn (as well as their rallying cry), were one of the more iconic moments I have witnessed as a part of a hockey game. I also got to witness history as Abby Roque scored the first Michigan lacrosse goal in PWHL history. It took me longer than I’d care to admit to realize that she scored with the Michigan; I saw how she held her stick with the puck and thought it looked vaguely familiar, but it took me until watching the replay on the stadium’s screen to put it all together.
Ottawa’s Tereza Vanisova scored a hat trick, which I did not see until pulling up the game summary due to the dearth of Ottawa fans at the game. Vanisova is a player I respect, not only for her goal-scoring prowess, but also for her physicality. She netted the first Gordie Howe hat trick (a fight, goal, and assist), which, since she was the first PWHL player to score it, PWHL fans call it the Vanisova hat trick. I cannot wait to see more from her. My seats were also the closest I have ever sat in a hockey stadium (again, thanks Mom!), as my mom and I sat close to the Sirens’ net. This did mean I had a clear view of the goals the Sirens gave up to the Charge. Despite the loss, I am looking forward to seeing the Sirens play against my team, the Montreal Victoire, on May 2nd. Rest assured, I will write an edition of Ice-Capades focused on this game.