Fleet Center - Boston Bruins

Trip Notes: This trip to Boston was my first solo adventure. I arrived at the airport a little before dark where I hopped on the subway and headed towards my hotel…the Radisson Hotel. It started snowing soon after I arrived. By morning it had snowed quite a bit…but I wasn’t going to let that slow me down. Took a short walk from my hotel over to Boston Common where I spent most of my day. I followed the Freedom Trail for quite awhile, skated at the outdoor rink in Boston Common, then ate lunch at Cheers. After lunch I had to check out of my current hotel and move over to the Seaport hotel just a couple miles away. Once I checked in, I hopped on the subway and headed over to the Charleston River and Harvard Area. That night I went to a Beanpot tournament game. Northwestern played Boston College at the Fleet Center. After the game, I checked out the neighboring bars with a friend. Spent the next day walking around more campuses….Northeastern and Boston College. Tuesday night I went to the Bruins game. I had great seats! After the game, I met up with some friends and went to some more great bars. Had a great time. After this trip, I discovered it is possible to travel alone to visit the arenas. I’m sure I’ll be doing it again soon! :)

Arena Notes: The arena is a convenient subway ride away. Very nice having such great public transportation to get around. It's located near many restaurants and bars. Had excellent seats for the game. Sat on the third level, center ice, first row. Amazing view! Enjoyed the Fleet Center. It had an old time hockey feeling with all the banners, retired numbers and all. Looked for Ray Bourque but didn't see him. ;) Bummer! Enjoyed the arena. Would definitely go back! The Fleet Center, now the TD Banknorth Garden was opened in 1995 and holds 17,565 hockey fans. Their mascot is Blades the Bruin.

Game Notes: Greg de Vries is making a habit of scoring game-winning goals.
de Vries
The defenseman scored with 42.3 seconds left in overtime and Patrick Roy stopped 28 shots as the Colorado Avalanche extended their recent dominance of the Boston Bruins with a 3-2 victory Tuesday night.
It was the second straight game de Vries has scored the game-winner in the extra period. He also beat the New York Rangers before the All-Star break.
"That's two in a row,'' Colorado coach Tony Granato said. "This one was a big goal.''
The Bruins forced overtime when Mike Knuble scored with 3:21 left in the third period on a pass from Glen Murray.
But de Vries took a pass from Peter Forsberg and scored his third goal of the season to give the Avalanche the victory. Forsberg also set up de Vries in New York last week.
"Any time you're on a line with Peter, especially in overtime with four-on-four, he's going to find you,'' de Vries said. "He made a great play to draw the guys to him and I just threw the puck in the empty net.''
Colorado pushed its unbeaten streak to six games, matching its longest of the season. The Avalanche are 6-1-1 in their last eight games against Boston.
Scott Parker's first goal of the season 2:31 into the game gave Colorado a 1-0 lead. Parker, who had missed the last 13 games with a broken left foot, beat Boston goaltender Steve Shields with a one-timer from the slot.
The Avalanche took a 2-0 lead late in the first period when Forsberg's wrist shot from the left circle trickled off Shields' pads and into the net. It was Forsberg's 17th goal of the season.
"We spotted them a couple and did everything we could to get back into it,'' Knuble said. "It was a good moral victory to get the point, but these are the games you've got to get two points. They're a good team and Forsberg is worth the money of the ticket just to watch him play by himself.''
Boston's first goal came when defenseman Hal Gill's 70-foot shot from just outside the blueline midway through the second period caught Roy off-guard, making it 2-1.
Shields, making his first start since Jan. 20, settled down after the first period and made 18 saves. Boston was 0-for-6 on the power play.
The Avalanche improved to 13-5-4-3 on the road and extended their unbeaten streak away from home to five games.
"They have a lot of strong, physical and fast players over there,'' Boston captain Joe Thornton said. "They make it a tough battle every time we play them.''
Game notesBruins forwards Martin Lapointe and P.J. Axelsson both returned to the lineup. Lapointe had missed the last five games with a groin strain, while Axelsson sat out the last four with a sore back. ... Boston defenseman Rich Brennan missed the game with an ankle bruise. ... Bruins defenseman Sean O'Donnell left in the first period with a sprained knee and did not return. ... Colorado recalled forward Brian Willsie from Hershey of the AHL. Willsie, who was leading Hershey with 21 goals and 40 points, replaces Dan Hinote, who sustained head and leg injuries in a car accident Sunday night. ... The Avalanche are 69-7-15-2 since 1997 when Forsberg scores.
(*Game notes taken from espn.com*)