diptych # 12 (civilized ku # 2375-76) ~ it's a hockey night

Adirondack Phantoms ~ Glens Falls, NY - just outside the Adirondack Park • click to embiggenLast night, The Cinemascapist, Hugo, and I attended an Adirondack Phantom opening night hockey game. The Phantoms are part of the AHL (American Hockey League) and are the minor league affiliate of the Philadelphia Flyers of the NHL. Inasmuch as there may be no NHL season this hockey year, the boys and I are getting our hockey fix at the minor league level.

The AHL is comprised of a sprinkling of future NHL standouts, future NHL journeymen, as well as AHL lifers who have not been able to make it to the bigs. The level of hockey is very good but most definitely not at the level of NHL play. That said, for now it's the highest level of play here in the good ol' US of A.

The games are usually entertaining and one thing which is far better than the NHL - the boys and I can attend a game, sitting in primo seats, have some refreshments and still not spend the equivalent of one NHL nosebleed level seat. Or, for that matter, you can buy a season ticket to the Phantom games for about the price of a one game primo level NHL seat.

My only problem with the whole affair is with the fact that the hometown town team is affiliated with the much hated Philadelphia Flyers. And then, of course, there's the Phantom mascot.