Quote:
Originally Posted by Zamboniman
I was at the game, the second Florida game for me this week. This one definitely didn't go the way the last one did. That giveaway....oooofff.
Fans here were interesting. Maybe just happened to be a lot of folks there that came for the first time with friends and whatnot, but a few things were interesting.
- The guy behind me had his buddy ask him when half-time was.
- Same guy's buddy asked, "So there's only three quarters?"
- Another guy's kid asked his dad what a powerplay was (okay, it was a kid, I'll allow it, especially since this year I'm wondering if the Flames themselves know the answer to that question)
- Way fewer Flames jerseys in the crowd, at least around my section, than there was in Tampa
- Flames powerplay sucks
- They *really* like Tkachuk down here
- No reaction either way to Huberdeau when he did anything
- I was sure it was actually onside and a good goal
- During the offside goal challenge nobody around me knew what was going on. I knew it was very close to offside when it happened and was pretty sure they'd go to video, so I found myself explaining to everyone around what the deal was, which was funny
- Full building, hardly any empty seats anyway
- Way easier to get in and out of Amerant Bank Arena, traffic wise before and after the game, than it is in either Tampa or Calgary
- They keep the building chilly. No doubt for better ice. Walking outside after the game into tropical humid heat was a real kick. Especially since I walked out of the Saddledome less than a week ago after a game into -18 C weather
- My continued opinion is that the Saddledome has the worst concourse in the NHL
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Yeah, I don't question the enthusiasm of Panthers fans these days. They show up and they're loud. But it's clear that many of them don't understand the game very well. Even the few that understand the rules don't seem to read or watch the play very well, and often miss key details that would answer many of their own questions.
It's okay, I've grown accustomed to it, but I hear at least 2 or 3 silly questions every night. You gotta remember, this fanbase forgot the Panthers existed until a few years ago, and for good reason too. They were terrible for a very long time.
However, both anecdotally and from real enrollment numbers, Florida now boasts a pretty vibrant youth hockey system. It pales compared to Canada, but I will occassionally join a buddy of mine at his kid's hockey game on Saturdays, and they don't look half bad. Some kids are actually pretty talented.
I think what I'm saying is look out for the 2035 draft! It'll be full of Floridian kids!
