Flyers Game

Though I write mainly about the Phillies on this website, I was lucky enough to have the opportunity to attend last night's Stanley Cup Final game between our Philadelphia Flyers and the Chicago Blackhawks. So, I thought it would be nice to share my experience with all of you.

We arrived about 2 hours before gametime, and the Wachovia Center was already pretty packed. Everyone who was already there had a look of confidence on their face, despite our team being down 0-2 in the series. We all had complete faith in the Flyers pulling out a win, because it is hard to count them out after what they have already done this season. Every so often, you would hear random "boos" that echoed throughout the arena. That just meant that another Blackhawk fan has entered a section of the Wachovia Center. So, tensions were pretty high as we all awaited the start of the game.

Minutes before the start of the game, the packed house was treated to a fantastic rendition of the God Bless America, sung by Lauren Hart with video cut-ins of Kate Smith's performance during Game 6 of the '74 Stanley Cup Finals. The sea of orange let out a roar, and it was time for the puck to be dropped.

As for the game itself, I thought the Flyers played very well. They made some mistakes, but for the most part, they played agressive hockey; Flyer's Hockey. They have some work to do before Game 4, but last night's performance was quite encouraging. I was very impressed about how they addressed a controversial call by the referees in overtime that took away the game winning goal from the Flyers. They came right back out firing, and scored one that surely couldn't be overturned.

The reaction after Claude Giroux's overtime goal that actually won the game was much like the reaction after Brad Lidge's final slider of '08 to win the World Series. The place absolutely exploded. Philadelphia Flyers fans exited the arena in a celebratory fashion, and the celebration continued outside. People ran past cars that were stuck in the stadium traffic, high-fiving the driver and passengers as they ran by. The "Let's Go Flyers" chant echoed outside the arena, as more and more people joined in. It was a night that many Philadelphia sports fans won't soon forget.

Were you lucky enough to attend last night's thrilling victory? Share your experiences in the comment section.