Best weekend ever... Part 1

Well I don't know about you, but I had a pretty good weekend. Pretty, pretty good indeed.

Thanks to the wonders of the Flyers Santa Sack, on Saturday I was able to attend the game against Tampa, one of my all time favorite love-to-hate teams. Look no further than the 2004 Conference Finals for an explanation.

The day got off to a less than spectacular start thanks to the less than inglourious parking situation in the Wachovia complex. Myself and my companion, whose real name is Janice but from here on out will be referred to as Ron, left ourselves plenty of time to get down into the city for the game. Most of the rest of the town had bird flu or Eagle fever or whatever it is they're calling it these days, but we had a case of the Orange and Black pox and we had it bad. Got to the stadium, no big deal and then as myself and Ron are about to pull into the parking lot a security guard stops us and directs us elsewhere as a large truck decided to block the entrance we were about to utilize. Unfortunate, but like I said, myself and Ron gave ourselves an insane amount of time. Hell, we may have been able to drive home and back from there and still make it to the game in time for the puck drop. So we follow the guards directions, give some guy the requisite $15 (!!) dollar parking fee and commenced looking for a spot.

This was a mistake. The lot we found ourselves in was a maze that would have even the most battled hardened Minotaur cying for its mama. There were traffic cones scattered about in a fashion that can't even accurately be described as haphazard. After driving around for a bit, we suddenly found ourselves going the wrong way down a one way drive. This happened because there were no signs indicating it as such, or anyone in an orange safety vest saying "hey, don't go down there." As I drove backwards, only half trying to avoid hitting a traffic cone or security guard, I pondered how myself and Ron had gotten ourselves in this situation. Why, oh ,why hadn't we just parked at Citizen's Bank Park?

Oh, that's right. Because it's winter and we're seeing a hockey game and it shouldn't be outside the realm of possibility to find a decent parking spot in the lot next to the building the team actually plays in while the rest of the city is trapped in front of their TV sets vomiting up all types of dark green and bird feathers.

Finally, with the help of a Sherpa guide named Tenzing, after traveling many miles and narrowly avoiding hundreds of helpless traffic cones and dozens of less helpless security guards, we found a parking space. Our spot was located under a massive billboard which advertised, among other things, the TV show "Dexter." I started feeling better about the night.

We entered the building after traveling the shortest distance possible to get from car to building. I couldn't believe myself and Ron's luck. Deep in the pit of my stomach, I felt that soon the tide would turn back against us. I checked our tickets to make sure they weren't made of crackers. They weren't... at least not yet and they scanned to boot. Still, after the parking fiasco, I was on alert for more bad luck. Like a blood hound on the scent, only with shorter ears.

It was while in this hyper alert state, that I happened to glance over to my right. Standing off to the side right before the escalator which would take myself and Ron to our seats, was Bernie Parent, the greatest goalie in Flyers history. Just hanging out. Even more curious was the fact that almost no one seemed to be paying him much mind. He posed for a picture with a dad and his son, but otherwise people just kept flooding on past him. Even a guy wearing a Parent jersey didn't notice him. Perhaps I was seeing things. Or worse, he was selling something. I almost walked past him but Ron convinced me to go up to him, which I did still expecting this to blow up in my face somehow.

It didn't. Bernie was incredible friendly, signing my ticket, shaking my hand and talking with myself and Ron at length about the weather in Toronto. It easily makes the top ten list of of all time coolest things that have ever happened to me. Chit chatting about Canadian wind chill with a hockey Hall of Famer. I was stoked, so much so that later on I chose to pay for a pretzel rather then allow someone else to handle my autographed ticket to utilize the $10 which came preloaded on it. Having been one, I know that those concession workers can have greasy hands...

As for the game, well so much had gone right for me I half expected the other shot to drop in the form of a shellacking at the hands of the 2004 Stanley Cup champions, but instead it was a wonderful 60 minute effort from the Flyers. Sure, it was against Tampa, but who cares? This team needs points and it was points they went out and got, 4-1 over the Lightning.

Blair Betts and the checking line played a great game, slowing down Tampa's best players and Bettsy was even able to add two key goals of his own in the third period, one on an empty net. Scott Hartnell and Danny Briere worked a spectacular two on one break just minutes into the final frame with Hartnell putting the puck in the net for his tenth goal of the season, as the Flyers clung to a 1-0 lead.

Claude Giroux picked up his ninth goal midway through the first period on the power play on a nice spinning wrister to open the scoring.

Tampa's only goal on Michael Leighton came a little past the half way point of the third period with a bouncing puck that Martin St. Louis was somehow able to flip past him. It was a tough save to make, more like a knuckle ball then a wrist shot, so Leighton can hardly be faulted. He played yet another strong game, stopping 17 0f 18 shots behind a Flyers defense that looked better then it has almost all season.

That's about it for the game recap. I'll be back after an episode of "Dexter" with my thoughts on the Flyers Wives Carnival which I was lucky enough to be able to attend, alongside Ron and two of our friends on Sunday. Tonight, the Flyers take on the Dallas Stars at the Wachovia Center. If you're going, beware of the parking lot and keep your eyes open for Hall of Famers lurking around corners...