Game #7 Senators W5-2

Now we are rolling!

I asked Joel to come with me to this game. He works at the Tribune Review so he is going to trade me the complete Penguins All-Time Team Medallions Set for his ticket. He gets some kind of special email to get a set since he is an employee. I think that's a fair trade for a ticket.
I got home, ate something and made a drink and then he showed up before I was even expecting him. That was a change of pace from what I usually get from the people I know (everyone is always late). Not too much traffic so we got there well ahead of schedule. We hung out in the parking lot for a bit and then went down to Shale's for a beer before going in.

NHL.com recap

• Sergei Gonchar's first game back to Pittsburgh since he left us via free agency on July 1st.
• Brett Johnson's 3rd consecutive start (and win)
• He's now 4-0
  
• Power play was clicking tonight : 2 for 3
• Mark Letestu is leading all rookie scorers with 7pts (4G, 3A)
• Ottawa pulled Brian Elliot after we notched our 5th goal.
  
• Deryk Engelland had another fight. This time with Chris Neil. Was not as good as his fight the other night. Score this one a boring draw.
• We're still tied for 1st with the Islanders in the Atlantic with 8pts but they have played 2 fewer games.
• First time both Geno and Sid scored goals in the same game in the new arena
  

Joel has seen the arena before because he went to the Paul McCartney concert that was the first event here ever. He said he used this kiosk to take his picture then but he must have typed his email in wrong because he said he never got it.

uwvark27's 2010-11 record: 2-2

Game #5 Islanders W3-2

YES FINALLY A WIN!!!

Mr Isaac Michael accompanied me to the game this evening. This was part of his birthday present I guess you could say. He must be good luck because we finally got victory #1 in the new arena. That makes me feel good because now not only can he say for the rest of his life that he did attend a game in the old Civic Arena (which he says he sort of remembers) but he also attended the very first victory ever at the new arena! No one can take that away from him.

NHL.com recap

• Eric Goddard has a good fight with Trevor Gillies early on. He was dominating at first but didn't win the 2nd half of the fight I'd say.
• We sucked big on the power play 0-7 until the PPG in OT, they did start listening to our cries of 'SHOOT THE PUCK' about after 4-5 power plays.
  
• People were booing the Pens. Those people should not be allowed to go to any more games.
  
• Kris Letang got kicked out of the game when he leveled Blake Comeau. The refs thought it was a hit to the head which it clearly wasn't when you saw the replay.
  
• The refs were absolutely horrible all game.
• I discovered that the prize blimp never goes an where near the upper bowl.
• Apparently neither do the cameraman. Isaac was dancing like a nut all game to get on the screen and was not rewarded for his efforts.
  
• He did do fantastic cheering and screaming throughout the game. All the people sitting around him thought he was funny the stuff he was yelling.
• He did get delirious towards the end of the game though. He was up way past his bedtime.
• The girl sitting in front of us totally biffed it when she was walking back to her seat at one point. I don't know if she was drunk or what but she almost had a bad, bad fall. Luckily the dude in the next row caught her on his lap but he was not happy she spilled his $8 beer.
  
• The old people next to us left with the game tied and over 10 min to go. WTF?! They shouldn't be allowed back either.
• I finally caught wind of the Cotton Candy Guy. I had not seen hide nor hair of him the 1st few games.
• Eric Tangradi got his first ever NHL goal.
• The 1st two goals scored by the Pens were by the two Penguins who have Twitter, Rupp and Tangradi.
• Goligoski scored his first ever game winning OT goal.
• I'm 9-0 when I go see us play the Islanders
• I'm 2-0 when Isaac is with me

I found that the parking lot (LC Parking I think it's called) over by Mercy hospital is big and usually half empty and although it's a few more blocks away thatn I'm used to walking - it's only $5. I think I might park here all the time then. Isaac and I parked here and ate our Sheetz dinner then walked over a bit early so he could look around in the stores at the Pens gear. We had to take this photo twice since he wasn't looking in the direction the first time around.

uwvark27's 2010-11 record: 1-2

Game #4 Leafs L3-4

I called my buddy David Gall to come with me to this game because I know he's a huge Pens fan as I am so I knew he'd be pumped. He brought a lot of good energy with him but unfortunately it was not enough and we dropped our 3rd straight at the new arena.

NHL.com recap

• Deryk Engelland had an intense fight with NHL tough guy Colton Orr and ended up taking him down hard. It was a really good energizing scrap.
• Crosby got his first goal in the new arena
  
• So did Talbot and Kunitz
• Toronto had 14 shots
• Fluery just isn't looking good like he was in the preseason. If he doesn't step it up soon the fickle Pittsburgh fans are going to turn on him
• This loss drops me to 0-4 when I go to a Leafs game
• The Dr Billy G was in Mario's box with him and got a standing O when they showed a video tribute to his time in da Burgh
  

We walked in down at the American Eagle gate which is one place I had yet to walk thru yet so that was cool. Since we were down low we got to use the kiosk before the game. This is probably the best picture so far. :D

uwvark27's 2010-11 record: 0-2

Game #1 Flyers L2-3

We lost the first game ever at the new arena. Can I say I still had a good time even though we lost this momentous game?

Instead of leaving work and trying to make it to the red carpet I had to go back to Monroeville to sit and wait for Matt to get there. At least I got to eat and follow some tweets about it as I started boozing for pregame. Lisa wanted Isaac to skip karate so she could watch the Pens game but I told her no. You can never tell what that woman has got going on in her mind.

Once Matt got there we took off and paid for our spot at the Crawford lot. It was packed. Matt spilled his drink like he does every time. Once we were in proper game form we headed down.

NHL.com recap

Here are some of the highlights:

• Danny Briere got the first goal ever in the new arena
  
• Tyler Kennedy got the first Pens goal ever in the new arena
• We lost the first game ever at the Civic Arena too back in the day
  
• Letang made a bonehead bad move resulting in a turnover that the Flyers got a shortie on to pretty much put it away.
• We did score like 20 secs later on the pp to bring it to within 3-2 but that wouldn't be enough
• Crosby and Malkin were scoreless
• This was not a typical Pens/Flyers game. There was almost no scrappiness or fights or anything. The Flyers just played hockey?!!? *SHOCK
  

I couldn't get my picture before the game started. We went in the Verizon gate and for some reason they wouldn't let us go down the stairs to the kiosk thing even though no one was using it. We ended up going out this way so this pic was after the game as you may be able to tell from my sourpuss.

uwvark27's 2010-11 record: 0-1

MARIO MOSAIC

Well the Mario Mosaic has been posted online as well as hung in the new arena (which I will see live tomorrow for the first regular season game ever!!)

It was up yesterday but I guess so many people were trying to see it the website was not working properly and then they just took it down and replaced it with a jpeg for a few hours. It is up now though and working fine. I found my pic too!! CHECK IT OUT!!

Pretty exciting eh!