Last week,I made what I try to do every year,but cannot always pull off and travel to Hershey Pa. to see the hometown Hershey Bears play the Lowell Devils.
Of course the Devils are why I go,but going to live hockey ranks among the best sporting experiences that you can have.
Hockey is different than baseball for sure as a live game takes place.
Baseball is so much more of a casual experience talking the game and looking at nuances,while live hockey is much more of a can't take my eyes off the game and leaves little time for in-game chatter.
I cannot say that I prefer one over the other,just very different.
After traveling to the Chocolate capital,we had lunch at a place called the Bears Den,which shockingly enough, is a sports bar/restaurant located as part of the Hershey Lodge hotel facility that has a Hershey Bears theme.
The prices were a hair high,but not ridiculous and the food was quite good.
I highly recommend it,if you ever make a Hershey stop.
I particularly liked the glasses with the skating Bear on them,had they had them for sale,I might have bought one.
The Giant Center was built for the Bears in 2002 with a hockey capacity of 10,500 and replaced the badly aging HersheyPark Arena,which still stands and hosts smaller events.
Giant Center pretty much hosts three things from what I can tell-the Bears,concerts and it seems like the WWE comes to Hershey more than one would think for the arena size or local market,so there must be some things that McMahon and company like about the facility.
It does have a major drawback as far as aesthetics go.
The color scheme matches the Bears/Hershey chocolate color motif and as a result as you walk around the concourse,one can get very tired with the drabness.
I can imagine Central Red Army or Dynamo Riga having arenas that look like this 25 years ago....
The Bears have a very nice team shop with lots of items,but if you are looking for anything from a team other than the Bears with the exception of AHL pucks,you will be disappointed.
I bought a Lowell puck and I was finished.
Which wasn't bad for the wallet.
The Hershey fans in general seemed pretty knowledgeable about the game and I spoke with a few before the game started.
There may be another difference between baseball and hockey fans,the fans in Hershey knew their stuff,unlike so many baseball patrons that barely know a glove from a bat.
They also have a local chant that is used for every goal that is pretty anno
ying and it comes complete with goober leading the chant on a taped deal on the video screen.No youtube on this guy,but here is a picture courtesy of our friends at Mondesi's House.
Not really my bag,but they seem to like it and it is their arena....
This looked to be a beating in the making as Lowell is in last place with Hershey in first and a cursory look at the rosters tells why.
Hershey seems to be a typical AHL team that uses veterans that really have little NHL future to help them be in the playoff race every year.
Their parent team in Washington sprinkle some borderline prospects in with AHL vets like Keith Aucoin,Graham Mink etc with a few guys that just aren't going to be NHL players like Chris Bourque to have a top notch contender every year.
That isn't the way the Devils do things,as they use players that need seasoning ,they play them a lot and winning is not as important.
Does Lowell have AHL veterans?
Sure,but they are used in roles to help the prospects mature,not as the base of the franchise.
The people that the Devils think that could help them down the road play and if Lowell is a perennial bottom feeder,such is life.
I can understand why Lowell fans wouldn't be thrilled and that is the reason the Devils and Albany had such a acrimonious split,but the Devils weren't going to allow that to happen again and that is why the Devils OWN both of their farm teams in Lowell and Trenton.
The game was solid enough,Hershey scored 11 seconds into the game and held as much as a three goal lead,but the Devils would get as close as 3-2.
Jon DiSalvatore scored the first Devil goal as he left the penalty box and was greeted with a laser pass from Matthew Spiller.
DiSalvatore beat Hershey netminder Daren Maschesney to the near side of the net over his glove to trim the score to 3-1.
Barry Tallackson,who has been a long time prospect that has always struggled with injuries,would score his first goal of the year in the third period for the other goal.
Hershey scored an empty netter for the 4-2 final,but an interesting story on that play.
Anssi Salmela controlled the puck behind the empty goal with time ticking away,but a line changing miscue left Salmela with no one to pass to and no one to charge the ice with.
Salmela screamed at the bench for help ( I know this because our seats were on this end, only 4 rows from the ice!) and finally had to make the rush himself and was double teamed by two Bears.
The puck was stripped from Salmela and that was the game.
I was impressed with Salmela though and if he doesn't get frustrated with being at Lowell,his offensive game is going make him a long term contributor.
If he doesn't get ticked off and return to Finland that is.
I also liked the hard nosed play of the Devils top pick in 2006,Matt Corrente.
Corrente might not be a huge offensive threat,but he hits and plays physical and takes no crap as seen in this fight from the game against Hersheys' Steve Pinizzotto.
I was also encouraged by the play of defenseman Mark Fraser,who seemed to be a bit more physical than the scouting reports said.
All and all,a good night and a chance to see some Devils of the future and a few that have seen the big roster such as Petr Vrana,Pierre (3L) LeBlond and Rod Pelley.
But the night was not over,as we attempted to brave the cold to get some Devils for the collection.
The security guys are pretty cool and allow collectors access to the loading docks at the back of the building and try to get the visitors as they go to the bus.
The Bears exit is on the other end of the building,so you have to pick which team that you will do for the evening..
As this was Lowell's only visit to the Giant Center this year,there were a few more collectors than normal there from what I was told,I suppose there was 7 or 8 there.
I was told that the security isn't as accommodating when the WWE is town and will chase collectors away,but that could be a McMahon rule more than a Giant Center decision.
I was able to get most of the players that I wanted (that I had cards for) except for Anssi Salmela,who must have gotten by me.
I knew the guys that played in NJ and they were more than kind as I got Rod Pelley(who graciously added a "Go Bucks" to his card),Petr Vrana,Barry Tallackson and Pascal Rheaume.
I was also able to add some prospects by looking at players as they signed for others,Matt Corrente (Very nice),Jeff Frazee and Mark Fraser all signed.
But I was the only collector remaining as coach Kurt Kleinsdorst came out and signed the card that I had for him.
Kleinsdorst asked me where I was from,how long I had been a fan and if his guys had all signed for me.I told him I missed Salmela,but he didn't refuse-I just missed him.
He thanked me for coming out and for supporting the organization.Great guy.
I must add this,I love Hockey,but the hockey collectors are a different breed.
I was dying in the cold and the nasty nights are yet to come!
There is no way that I could do what they do,once a year to see the Devils-OK,I'll tough it out,but all the time????
My hat is off to them.....
In any event,a great night and I am sure that I will be back next year as long Lowell continues to make Hershey a stop on the schedule......
Merry Christmas to everyone and I hope everyone enjoys the day!
Photo Credits
Giant Center:Hershey Bears
Puck guy:Mondesishouse.com
Lowell Logo:Sportslogos.net
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