Hockey Road Trip
February 24, 2019. By Athena Rapinan
My family and I visited three hockey arenas during the President’s week. So far we have visited six out of 31 arenas. From each arena we visit, my brother buys a hockey puck representing the arena and team we visited, and displays them in a hockey puck case. Over a course of five days, we drove out of state to Phoenix, Arizona, and then made our way back to Anaheim and Los Angeles.
Phoenix Coyotes vs Toronto Maple Leafs. Saturday 16 February at 5pm
Gila River Arena at Phoenix, Arizona
- The game was a lot of fun. Our cousins from Arizona joined us to watch the game which made our overall experience more meaningful.
- The Coyotes won 2-0. I expected Maple Leafs to win, but the the Coyotes played well at home and shut out the opponent. Whenever the Coyotes were on a powerplay, the fans were howling like Coyotes to energize the home team.
- The arena looked older. Inside, curtains were used instead of walls to seperate the seats from the concourse. Outside, the arena is surrounded by cool shops and restaurants, which creates a fun and lively environment to be in.
Anaheim Ducks vs Washington Capitals. Sunday 17 February at 6pm
Honda Center at Anaheim, California
- On Sunday morning, we drove from Phoenix to Anaheim. Just before the game, we checked-in to the hotel just outside Honda Center, a five minute walk to the arena.
- The Ducks won 5-2. After the 2nd period, the game was tied at 2-2, but the Ducks controlled the game in the 3rd period scoring three more goals which electrified the fans.
- Honda Center is a nice arena with Palm Trees in front of the building, marble floors, nice and big team store, and trendy concessions. This arena was also my first NHL game ever sitting in the lower section which made our overall experience even better.
Los Angeles Kings vs Washington Capitals. Monday 18 February at 7:30pm
Staples Center at Los Angeles, California
- This was the most exciting game to watch. The Kings put on a great pre-game show, and played hard throughout the game. Although, Ovechkin and the Capitals outplayed the Kings.
- The Kings lost 3-2. They fought hard and almost tied the game, but ran out of time.
- So far, this is my favorite NHL arena. The arena is beautiful, the lights and laser shows were very entertaining, the intermission shows were fun to watch, and the music that were played can easily lift up anybody’s mood. The LA Live area is a happening place.
My first hockey road trip with my family was fun and a great experience. All the arenas we visited were large, unique, and beautiful, and were surrounded by shops and restaurants, which made the overall experience better. I made many memories on this trip, and I can’t wait to make more when we visit Chicago for our next family trip, and watch a few playoff games in the nearby cities.
