Thoughts from Opening Night 2009

Opening Night 2009, Columbus Blue Jackets 2 Minnesota Wild 1, I was there to see Umby score the first goal of the year and Rusty have the GW goal. Here are some of the memories I have of that game.

The tickets for the game were my High School graduation present, sure I graduated in May and single game tickets don't go on sale until mid-August I was very smart about cashing that in. Get the tickets and then I wait for about a month until the home opener, passing the time the only way you can tell every one you know and make them jealous. October 3 rolls around and my Dad and I leave my house at about 4:30, not because it takes 3 1/2 hours to get to Columbis from Ravenswood, West Virginia, but because we wanted to get there early and not get stuck in traffic. This game was my third and my dad's second, unless of course you count when I was 6-7 and went to a Huntington Blizzard game before they moved out to Texas, We get to Columbus around 6:30 only to find out that doors open an half and hour before the game starts. During the course of the time waiting for doors to open, I realize that the area around Nationwide is set up just for hockey season and the Blue Jackets cannot leave or else the Arena District will fall apart, second realization, there are some hot hot girls that like the Jackets make mental note of that.

After waiting a half-hour for the doors to open first thing after getting both Steve Mason and Rick Nash posters and Magnetic Schedule, Its Skyline time, but then again when isn't it skyline time. Get done eating some of the greatest hot dogs on the Planet, My dad and I head to out seats in Section 106 Row S. While waiting for the game to start head to the Blue Line with the intention of getting a Dorsett shirt. When I reach the Blue line I find out that he is a scratch and his shirt is not able to be purchased so I "settle" for a Antoine Vermette one. Head back to seats with 5 minutes remaining until Leo,LEO, comes out to sing the National Anthem and Introductions. This being the first game of the year of course there is a big light and smoke show for intros, Leo does a good job as always and then it is time to drop the puck to start the 2009-10 season.

Not much happened for the first period except Mase, Mased someone, and not much happened in the second period until 10:30 in the period when RJ scores with assists from Murry and Methot, which the guy who was sitting next to me said his wife called he was going to score the first game of the year. Then the game goes back to the normal rhythm of a Hitch coached team. Then Minnesota ties it up 4:43 into the final period with a Andrew Brunette(I have no idea who he is but according to hockeyreference.com he had 61 points last year), from Koivu and Havlat on a PP. The game stays tied until Rusty bulges the twine with 9:50 left in the game. After a few hectic moments with time running out the final horn sounds and the Jackets win the first game of the year 2-1.

This is just my memories of Opening Night last year, If any one else was there and remebers something that I forgot they can share it in the comments.