Flames Road Trip - Calgarypuck Forums - The Unofficial Calgary Flames Fan Community

flamesflames2014 · 08-07-2016, 01:02 PM

Looking to do a Flames road trip this season and catch 2-3 games. These are the options i am thinking, has anyone seen a game in these cities or have any thoughts or recommendations looking at the schedule?

Have already done California and Florida trips.

Nov 25-28 (Bruins, flyers, islanders)
Jan 23-26 (Leafs, canadiens, senators)
Feb 3-7 (Devils, rangers, penguins)

TheScorpion · 08-07-2016, 01:03 PM

Don't do the second one, unless you want to experience the wonder of Ottawa January.

Timbo · 08-07-2016, 01:25 PM

Nov 24th is US thanksgiving, travel that weekend would/could be a nightmare
I would pick #3 but thats just my opinion.

And on a personal note I am quite jealous. Have fun

StrykerSteve · 08-07-2016, 01:32 PM

Pick the one the Flames have the best shot at winning.

CroFlames · 08-07-2016, 04:43 PM

I've never been to a game at MSG, so I'd go there.

Monahan For Mayor · 08-07-2016, 05:21 PM

If you go for the first one you will be able to watch Gaudreau play.

getbak · 08-07-2016, 05:26 PM

Personally, I like to use a trip like this to do some sightseeing around the area while I'm there, so I'd probably reduce the trip to only two games and pick the two that are relatively close to each other (assuming you've never been to any of these cities before).

Each one of those three-game trips has one long travel day in it -- Boston-Philly (5 hour drive or train); Toronto-Montreal (5 hour drive or train); and NY-Pittsburgh (6 hour drive or 8 hour bus ride). Or, you have the option of a 1-1.5 hour flight between those cities, but when you consider travel and security times at the airport, even those aren't saving a lot of time.

The weather in late-January/early-February can be a bit of crapshoot too, so it's risky to plan for a 5 hour drive from Toronto to Montreal and have it turn into an 8 hour drive or longer if the weather is crappy. With those games being back-to-back, there's no room for error if the weather sucks either.

If you've never been to NYC, it's definitely worth the trip. Both MSG and Prudential Center are very nice arenas. If I were you, I'd do the Devils and Rangers, then stick around New York for a few more days and forget about going to Pittsburgh on this trip.

Tailgator · 08-07-2016, 05:27 PM

Sounds like fun! Been to MSG-was awesome and an amazing facility! Fans were way nicer than I was expecting.
Been to Prudential in Jersey - paid like $80 for row 19 -can almost sit wherever you want - ran into to Johnny's folks there super nice folks! Fans there were bit more harsh, but still fun.
Went to a game in Philly, it was an afternoon game and the flames lost ......and the fans were brutal! Can't imagine what it would've been like had the flames won. If a cop hadn't come by, not sure what would've happened in the parking lot.....
The Devils and Rangers were part of the same trip - took no time to get to Jersey - great arena too.

PaperBagger'14 · 08-07-2016, 05:41 PM

I'd have to do #1 or #3, I'm guessing you want to see some good hockey and different places. I'd rather take the time to visit places like NYC or Boston before going to Ottawa or Toronto.

dying4acup · 08-08-2016, 12:51 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by StrykerSteve

Pick the one the Flames have the best shot at winning.

Flames are going 9-0 in those games. Pick any.

Weitz · 08-08-2016, 08:53 AM

Expect to pay almost 2x for flights on the first trip.

442scotty · 08-08-2016, 12:24 PM

Bruins / flyers would be nice if you combine it with a bit of a vacation. Both cities are amazingly scenic especially Philly. Weather, as always tends to mess things up though

DownhillGoat · 08-08-2016, 01:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by getbak

If you've never been to NYC, it's definitely worth the trip. Both MSG and Prudential Center are very nice arenas. If I were you, I'd do the Devils and Rangers, then stick around New York for a few more days and forget about going to Pittsburgh on this trip.

+1 for this idea.

bobbylouie · 08-08-2016, 03:29 PM

Having done virtually every road trip imaginable, I would opt for #3 but leave out the Penguins portion. Pittsburgh after a few days in New York wouldn't be the way to wrap up a trip like that. As somebody said, a couple of days seeing sights in New York is the way to go, but if you look at the schedule you could continue to gorge on non-Flames hockey if that has appeal....

Fri Feb 3 - Calgary at New Jersey
Sun Feb 5 - Calgary at NY Rangers
======================
THEN, to expand your visited arenas list....
======================
Mon Feb 6 - Toronto at NY Islanders (Brooklyn)
OR
Mon Feb 6 - St. Louis at Philadelphia (less than 2 hours south, easy drive/train)

You can even keep going.....

Tue Feb 7 - Anaheim at NY Rangers (if you wanna stay in New York and need more hockey)
OR
Tue Feb 7 - Carolina at Washington (three more hours south if you went for the Philly option on Monday)

Just depends on if it has to be Flames, you want a variety of arenas, how much you want to roam.

mikephoen · 08-08-2016, 03:37 PM

Some good advice in this thread. I should hire one of you guys to plan and schedule my life for me!

Flacker · 08-08-2016, 04:21 PM

Having done NY, Washington, Boston in the past, I would agree with others in this thread. Do just the NY games, and enjoy your time there. Driving up and down the eastern seaboard is not a relaxing time.

bobbylouie · 08-08-2016, 04:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Flacker

Driving up and down the eastern seaboard is not a relaxing time.

My suggestions assumed that inter-city travel would be by train (or bus if you wanna go really cheap). There would little reason to have a car at all for any of New York, Philly or Washington sightseeing or game going, especially in early February, which come to think of it, potential weather issues probably should at least be part of the discussion/planning/considerations.