***CONTINUED FROM BELOW***
The computer printed tickets had survived being folded up in my little bag. Of course, I had taken no chances and didn't fold anywhere near the bar code. After they were scanned, they gave us a commemorative ticket stub. We had bought ticket lanyards at Game 2, had them on, and put our new tickets in over the other ones! Uh huh. We were cool.
By the way, the previously mentioned AC units were working. I swear I could see my breath in the concession area! We walked around the whole ground floor and looked at stuff. Every once in a while we would stand at the window and watch the madness outside. I read later than there were about 15,000 people just hanging out in the area just to be near the event. We found a lower level ramp without a security person hovering, so we went in so Joey could get a good photo of the ice up close.
I reaaallly wanted to buy a Khabibulin jersey, but I put up a good fight with myself and did not let me do it: That would have been a quick $200. Yea, but it's the Stanley Cup! So, when else would you wear it? Hey, I could have passed it on to my grandkids, so just shut up. No, you shut up! Walk AWAY from the counter. Oh alright.
Anyway, we took the escalator up to the third level. But hey, we were in the building! So what if the remote control blimp was BELOW us! So what if we could see the technicians adjusting the lights and securing the balloon filled nets.
It was weird seeing the balloons and other stuff ready to go ... IF we won. No pressure.
Joey became less and less fun. He was toooo intense. Actually, he was a nervous wreck. I got out my binoculars because I had noticed something on the ice. It was a little brown bird hopping around looking for stuff to eat! His little feet must have been freezing. Joey perked up and watched it, too. I thought it must be saying to itself, "Daaamn, I could have SWORN I flew south." It keep fluttering around getting closer to the goal. Other people were watching and started getting excited as it got closer to the net. It hopped on the line ... and over it went in! AND THE CROWD WENT WILD!!! Seriously, everybody cheered and someone actually turned on the flashing red goal light!!!
The Canadians must think we are real morons. But let them think it. Each seat had a set of white "Thunder Sticks" noisemakers. When inflated they had a printed message:
"And at the 7th Game, Lord Stanley said, 'LET THERE BE LIGHTNING!'"
***TO BE CONTINUED***