Chicago Blackhawks vs. Colorado Avalanche
United Centre; Chicago, Illinois
United Centre; Chicago, Illinois
6.30pm; January 6 2012
Colorado defeated Chicago 4-0
The last time I saw a hockey game at United Centre, we got to go up to one of the luxury suites and meet Blackhawks legends Stan Mikita and The Golden Jet himself, Bobby Hull. That was an amazing experience, and one of the best nights of my life. Whenever I come back to United, I'm always going to fondly remember how speechless I was I saw Bobby Hull in the suite, how we talked about it for hours after, how it didn't matter that the 'Hawks lost the game. There's now two great statues, one of Mikita and one of Hull, outside United Centre, to accompany the long-standing Jordan statue. A fitting tribute for two legends of this franchise.
Watching hockey at United Centre is a great experience. Aside from Madison Square Garden, it's my favourite venue in America, mostly because the Blackhawks fans really love and understand the game and because the United Centre is LOUD!!!! They start screaming during the National Anthem - Jim Cornelison delivers the best version of Star Spangled Banner I've ever heard, and the crowd responds; it's one of those shivers up your spine moments - but the rest of the game was a disappointment.
I don't know what happened, whether it was the 'Hawks looking ahead to Sunday and Detroit or whether they were fatigued from last night's tough slog - and late loss - against the Flyers in Philadelphia, but they looked rather flat and uninterested tonight. When things aren't going your way, you don't get the bounces. The Blackhawks didn't. Colorado did. They rode those lucky breaks - and some excellent goal-tending from Semyon Varlamov - to a 4-0 shut-out win, ending the game in front of a mostly-empty United Centre.
Even so, it was good to be back at a hockey game.It seems ages since we were in Vancouver at the Rogers Arena - that was so last year!!
After temperatures as low as -14F in Lake Placid over New Year's, it's been rather mild in Chicago, with lots of sunshine. None of the bleak weather that so many people associate with the Midwest. Went skating today on the rink at Millennium Park, where 'The Bean' weirdly reflects the Chicago skyline in all directions and draws a bunch of tourists. On the ice, I was living out some hockey fantasies, with a 'Hawks #88 on my back! I skated about as well as Kaner played tonight, I reckon.
With tonight's game disappointingly in the books, we're getting into the depths of our schedule, with 3 games in the next 9 days. We're back Sunday night at United Centre for one of the great rivalries in the National Hockey League when the Detroit Red Wings come to town. Talk about star power on the ice on both sides - Lidstrom, Zetterburg, Franzen, Datsyuk, Toews, Kane, Sharp...wow!! It should be 1 vs. 2 in the Central Division, with a playoff-like atmosphere. Can't wait!! Hopefully the 'Hawks are ready!!
Colorado defeated Chicago 4-0
The last time I saw a hockey game at United Centre, we got to go up to one of the luxury suites and meet Blackhawks legends Stan Mikita and The Golden Jet himself, Bobby Hull. That was an amazing experience, and one of the best nights of my life. Whenever I come back to United, I'm always going to fondly remember how speechless I was I saw Bobby Hull in the suite, how we talked about it for hours after, how it didn't matter that the 'Hawks lost the game. There's now two great statues, one of Mikita and one of Hull, outside United Centre, to accompany the long-standing Jordan statue. A fitting tribute for two legends of this franchise.
Watching hockey at United Centre is a great experience. Aside from Madison Square Garden, it's my favourite venue in America, mostly because the Blackhawks fans really love and understand the game and because the United Centre is LOUD!!!! They start screaming during the National Anthem - Jim Cornelison delivers the best version of Star Spangled Banner I've ever heard, and the crowd responds; it's one of those shivers up your spine moments - but the rest of the game was a disappointment.
I don't know what happened, whether it was the 'Hawks looking ahead to Sunday and Detroit or whether they were fatigued from last night's tough slog - and late loss - against the Flyers in Philadelphia, but they looked rather flat and uninterested tonight. When things aren't going your way, you don't get the bounces. The Blackhawks didn't. Colorado did. They rode those lucky breaks - and some excellent goal-tending from Semyon Varlamov - to a 4-0 shut-out win, ending the game in front of a mostly-empty United Centre.
Even so, it was good to be back at a hockey game.It seems ages since we were in Vancouver at the Rogers Arena - that was so last year!!
After temperatures as low as -14F in Lake Placid over New Year's, it's been rather mild in Chicago, with lots of sunshine. None of the bleak weather that so many people associate with the Midwest. Went skating today on the rink at Millennium Park, where 'The Bean' weirdly reflects the Chicago skyline in all directions and draws a bunch of tourists. On the ice, I was living out some hockey fantasies, with a 'Hawks #88 on my back! I skated about as well as Kaner played tonight, I reckon.
With tonight's game disappointingly in the books, we're getting into the depths of our schedule, with 3 games in the next 9 days. We're back Sunday night at United Centre for one of the great rivalries in the National Hockey League when the Detroit Red Wings come to town. Talk about star power on the ice on both sides - Lidstrom, Zetterburg, Franzen, Datsyuk, Toews, Kane, Sharp...wow!! It should be 1 vs. 2 in the Central Division, with a playoff-like atmosphere. Can't wait!! Hopefully the 'Hawks are ready!!
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