Nice View of the new ice at the Prudential Center arena view update - 10/15/2007

Anybody been able to get single game tickets yet? Or is the home opener sold out? Ticketmaster isn't giving me any love.

Photo Gallery - Prudential Center arena view update - 10/15/2007

Breaking Ritchie Duncan's Heart

I've written before about my pal, Ritch Duncan. He's a fellow Mighty Squirrel, a top notch hockey blogger, and an all around good guy. And I'm about to shatter his dreams.

For the past couple of days Ritchie has been blogging on American Hockey Fan about the marketing efforts to launch the new NHL store in Manhattan. Ritchie is going up there today to get his first glimpse at that most beloved of hockey icons, the Stanley Cup.

Except, not really. The Cup that is generally brought out to these events is a replica cup created in 1995. Why would the league create a copy of hockey's holy grail? Blame the Rangers.

You see back in 1994 the boys got a little raucous and managed to break Lord Stanley's mug in to three different pieces. After the repair effort the league decided that it might be better not to have so much wear and tear on their beloved trophy so the replica was created.

For the record, I was lucky enough to drink out of the Stanley Cup during that amazing June in 1994 and then see the cup up close again later in that summer (I had friends who worked for the Rangers organization and they had it at their house!). The next summer, another friend of mine who was a die hard Devils fan dragged me to Jimmy Dowd's bar to see the cup. At that point I didn't mind seeing him get all gushy about a fake trophy. After all, he was a Claude Lemieux fan who had dragged me to Brick, NJ.

But Ritchie man. He deserves better.

Because in this new hockey world of hi tech sweaters, hockey themed Starbucks and franchises in Nashville every real hockey fan should be able to see the embodiment of everything we love about the sport.

And it doesn't get any more real than that.

Bachelor of Hockey

With Rangers tickets hard to come by and Devils single game tickets not even on sale yet, folks are probably wondering how they can see some top quality hockey for a reasonable price. Luckily the city's college hockey season kicks off this week. Fordham open up against the Ramapo Saints at the Ice Hutch this Friday at 8:45 pm. meanwhile, back in the city NYU take on the University of Scranton at Sky Rink at 8:30 pm. Columbia open up next Friday with a tilt against St. Thomas at the Palisades Mall. Game time is 9:20 pm. All three matches offer a chance to see some quality hockey at a fraction of NHL prices some make sure to check them out!

Fringe Benefits for the Islanders

Things are going well for Mike Comrie these days. In addition to centering the Islanders top line, the gossip sites tell us he's Hilary Duff's newest boy toy. How long before the Islanders try for a double header with La Duff? She could sing the national anthem, take a break while the game goes on and then use Miroslav Satan, John Sim and the rest of the team as her backup dancers.



If nothing else it gives the lunch bucket Islanders a little celebrity glam off the court. Especially now that Elisha Cuthbert and Sean Avery have supposedly called it quits.

Note to the Devils: This doesn't mean that Patrick Elias should start dating Ashlee Simpson