5 Things I Learned in Albany

I’ve been planning a trip to Albany since what would be the start of the NHL season and I wasn’t letting Sandy get in the way. After waiting in a long line for one of the few open gas stations, I filled up my tank and used that precious fuel to drive up to Albany and watch the Albany Devils take on the Connecticut Whale at the Times Union Center. This was my first trip to Albany, here’s what I learned.

1. Being in a cold house with no heat all week did not prepare me for the colder weather of Albany.
With the majority of New Jersey powerless and cold without heat, I thought I had gotten used to toughing out the cold in layers of sweatshirts and Albany would be no problem. Yea well, it was cold! But that’s part of the hockey season, so I embraced it and suited up.

I have to say, putting all my hockey game gear was a lot more fun that I thought it would be. After not having a reason to put a jersey on since June, it felt pretty awesome to go back to layering up with my Devils hoodie topped off with a Henrique jersey.

2. It’s really fun to throw things onto the ice!
The Albany Devils play Chuck-A-Puck during intermission where fans can literally chuck numbered foam pucks onto the ice. The goal is to have one of your pucks land closest to the target on center ice. Of course none of my pucks made it anywhere near the target but it was fun trying.

3. Times Union Center has the best hot dogs I’ve ever had at an arena.
This is self explanatory, they were amazing. Look at this line!

4. AHL game or not, shoot outs are intense!
The Devils dominated the entire game outshooting the Whale 44-16. Tedenby scored the first goal for Albany at the beginning of the first followed by a goal from Thomas for the Whale at the end of the first. They kept the game tied up through the third, through OT and into 5 rounds of shoot outs until Gilroy scored the only shoot out goal for the Whale. The crowd was loud, intense and a few fans were on the verge of a heart attack – I felt like I was back at the Prudential Center!

5. The Devils/Rangers rivalry lives in Albany.
The trash talking aspect of a rivalry game was alive and well in Albany. Rangers fans stood with Rangers fans, Devils fans stood with Devils fans. Words were exchanged and faces were made. All of that fan emotion was there before, during, and after the game. I think I even heard a Marty chant or two. Everyone knows the rivalry is half the fun so I was glad it made its way up to Albany for this game.