Your first pro hockey game?

[JonasAahlstroem]

VIK Black Eagles (VIK Västerås HK today after bankruptcy and restarting) vs. AIK Hockey. 26th September 1998, a Saturday. I still got the ticket. I was five years old back then and don't remeber a thing of it now.

[pens66]

25th January 2004, German Elite League (DEL), Nürnberg Ice Tigers vs Düsseldorfer EG

I've been a hockey fan looong before I went to this (my first) game. But I could never find anyone to go with me - not even my father! - because nobody is interested in hockey where I live (about 55 kilometers away from Nuremberg in Germany).
So I finally found a group of eight young people studying in Nuremberg, who had never been to a hockey game either.
I took them to the game and had to explain the rules all game long. However, as the game dragged on they were SO BORED that the rules, the teams, anything about the game didn't matter to them anymore. They had started drinking midway through the second period to keep them occupied.
People who can't appreciate the game of hockey? No.
I actually couldn't blame them: The Ice Tigers and Düsseldorf managed to keep the game scoreless and went to a shootout, in which the fifth or sixth - can't remember - of Düsseldorf's shooters finally scored a goal. It was ridiculous...
As far as I know, not a single of these people attended another hockey game since - me being the exception, of course.

[JeffR]

Boxing Day 1980, North Stars 5, Jets 3. Up in the balcony in the old Winnipeg Arena, three days after the Jets broke their 30-game winless streak. Saw Brad Palmer's first NHL goal, which was nice because I'd seen him play in the BCJHL back home in Kelowna.

[Fyrestorm3]

Late 90s, not sure what year. Bruins vs. Maple Leafs. I was rather young, so I don't remember too much of the game.

Recently, though, I've had a string of amazing good luck with Bruins games. The last three I attended:

April 2010 (playoffs) - Sabres @ Bruins, Game 6 of the Eastern Conference Quarterfinals, when the Bruins won the series.
October 2010 - Leafs @ Bruins, a shutout and the first instance of the "Thank You, Kessel" chant.
February 2011 - Canadiens @ Bruins, the game with the multiple line brawls and the Thomas vs. Price goalie fight.

That last one is going to be hard to top.

[rmt1982]

My first one, 9th February 2001. National Ice Centre, Nottingham. The game would become known as "The Battle of Lower Parliament Street"..

On Feb 9th the Steelers were in town again, wanting 1 point to clinch the title and at 3-1 up in the 24th minute they looked to have sealed it.
At this point a cross-check from Denis Vial, which went un-called by ref Hanson, left Greg Hadden face down on the ice.

Barry Nieckar took almost immediate retribution. This sparked a mass brawl among the players on the ice. As Nieckar was clearly getting the better of his personal encounter, Blaisdell sent the remaining Steelers off the bench to join in, shortly followed by the Panthers bench.
When the dust settled the game was delayed for about 45 minutes and three from each side were ejected. On the restart Panthers caught Steelers replacement goalie Torchia cold.

After four minutes play 1-3 had become 4-3. Steelers leveled it with their 3rd power-play goal of the night, before PC put Panthers one ahead again.
Greg Hadden was then thrown out of the game after he took extreme objection to Rick Brebant's attempt to remove his head with an elbow. With about a minute and a half remaining and Panthers visibly tiring, ref Hanson called yet another minor on Panthers. Steelers pulled their goalie to make in 6 on 4, but with just 20 seconds left on the clock, PC again latched onto a loose puck and fired into the empty net to seal a thunderous 6-4 win.

Gamecard - 4

Fight video - Nottingham Panthers Vs. Sheffield Steelers - YouTube

Still watch the Panthers now, not had a bench clearance in a couple of years though..

[Big Six]

I didn't remember the details of my very first pro game, either. I know I was five years old, and that it was a Washington Capitals game against the Maple Leafs.

I asked my dad what he remembered about that game, and between us and hockey-reference.com, we figured out when it would have been.

The date was Sunday, December 17, 1978. The Washington Capitals beat the Toronto Maple Leafs, 7-6, in Washington.

[John Locke]

First and only game, February 15, 2011

Vancouver 4
Minnesota 1

[Nino33]

I grew up in B.C. (Canada) and my first pro game was December 27, 1976 - Philadelphia Flyers 5 @ Vancouver Canucks 1

My second game pro game [on a trip to LA/Disneyland] was December 28, 1977 - NY Islanders 4 @ Los Angeles Kings 3

[YZG]

Never really been to a pro game. I moved to Quebec City for my studies well after the Nordiques left... I went to my share of QMJHL games, though, and got to see several future NHLers (David Desharnais, Aleksandr Radulov, Antoine Roussel, Derick Brassard, Kristofer Letang, etc.)

More importantly, I went to five World Championship games when they were held in Quebec City/Halifax All of these guys were pros, so it kinda counts. My friend and I had been assigned pretty bad seats at the WC games, but we managed to sneak close to the ice. There were seats that were always empty right by the boards, on the right side of the penalty box, so we'd just head straight there when we had ensured nobody would occupy them and no one watched Good times.

[Lee]

Went to a lot of Salt Lake Golden Eagles games in the CHL as a teen in the 70's and early 80's, but didn't go to me first NHL game until the Coyotes came to Phoenix.

[PromisedPain]

Must've been some TPS game as a kid, and yes I live in Turku, Finland.

[Cushen]

February 20, 1999
Toronto v. Montréal in Toronto. First game Toronto played at the ACC. 3-2 OT win.

Manchester Storm v Cardiff Devils. Don't remember when it was. I was a fan long before but that was my first experience and when it used to look like this... http://members.shaw.ca/brianwaddingt...eams/nynex.jpg

[Teloch]

March 30th, 1993.
HPK-TPS, the second final of the SM-Liiga. Only game HPK won, 6-5.
Got a ticket quite cheap, would be something along the lines of 4-5 euros today. Didn't root for either team, but it was quite an experience for a small kid.

[Pineywoods OOTPer]

I would have to say somewhere around 1975 or so..I don't recall exactly...but it was always to go watch the Fort Worth Texans (Central Hockey League).

The game I remember most is when Fort Worth vs. Dallas for the CHL title in 1978. Game 7...we won 5-4...and everyone (except us, damn you Dad) got on the ice to celebrate after a bloody war in overtime that had fights in the stands and on the rink.

[SirManager]

Mine was also TPS game (SM-liiga), but cant remember the opponent. Used to live in Turku, still TPS fan.

[mp33]

2008 or 2009 in Cologne. Kölner Haie. Never really paid much attention to hockey but from that day on I began to love it. It's one of the most entertaining sports to watch.
Since then I saw a Bruins game (2011; my girlfriend is a hockey and Bruins fanatic) and some more Kölner Haie games.

[iamcline]

My first pro hockey game was an ECHL finals game in 1991.

Was the only game in the Finals that the Greensboro Monarchs won.

It was the Greensboro Monarchs vs. Hampton Road Admirals. I was pretty young but I remember that arena being packed to the ceiling and it was a hot crowd.

[Puckhead]

Originally Posted by pens66

25th January 2004, German Elite League (DEL), Nürnberg Ice Tigers vs Düsseldorfer EG

I've been a hockey fan looong before I went to this (my first) game. But I could never find anyone to go with me - not even my father! - because nobody is interested in hockey where I live (about 55 kilometers away from Nuremberg in Germany).
So I finally found a group of eight young people studying in Nuremberg, who had never been to a hockey game either.
I took them to the game and had to explain the rules all game long. However, as the game dragged on they were SO BORED that the rules, the teams, anything about the game didn't matter to them anymore. They had started drinking midway through the second period to keep them occupied.
People who can't appreciate the game of hockey? No.
I actually couldn't blame them: The Ice Tigers and Düsseldorf managed to keep the game scoreless and went to a shootout, in which the fifth or sixth - can't remember - of Düsseldorf's shooters finally scored a goal. It was ridiculous...
As far as I know, not a single of these people attended another hockey game since - me being the exception, of course.

lol, great story That's why I'm also not really interested in the DEL, the skill level is just too low imo, especially since you can buy and watch NHL Gamecenter Live in Europe now as well.

My first professional game was Germany against Russia in 2004 I think... Can't even remember the exact year

[TribeFanInNC]

I came into hockey pretty late, not really until after college. Probably because I didn't live in a town where it was readily available. Saw a few ECHL games starting in maybe 1996 or 1997. We had the Columbus Chill.

Reminds me of the funniest thing I ever saw live. The game was getting a little chippy late. The teams setup for a face off, puck drops, and two enforcer-types on one side of the circle immediate drop sticks/gloves without playing the puck and just go. Good long fight, couple side fights, nice day at the arena.

The ref and linesman finally get the tough guys separated, but they continue to jaw back and forth the whole way across the ice. They are each closely escorted all the way over to the box. Finally, the ref disengages to make the call at the scorer's table. Once the ref gets like 4 feet away, one player charges at the other one entering the box. He pushes him into the penalty box and they start going again inside the box! Needless to say, neither of those guys played any more hockey that night.

Come to think of it, I'm not sure how they ever got them separated again. I can't imagine going into the box to break up a hockey fight.