The Wells Fargo Center (AKA CoreStates Center, First Union Center, Wachovia Center or, to simplify its bank name-sponsorship history into a single acronym, the CFUWWF Center) celebrates its 15th anniversary this year. Unlike the Spectrum, few people get misty-eyed or sentimental about the current arena, even though its amenities are significantly better than the Spectrum's ever were. I never realized just how cramped the Spectrum -- including the press box -- really was until going back to the building for Phantoms games after getting used to the newer arena.
One thing the CFUWWF Center lacks in comparison to the Spectrum is the close proximity of the fans to the action. Because of ever-rising ticket prices and other factors, it also became more of corporate crowd (at least in the most expensive seating locales). Having been to both arenas countless times in my life first as a fan and then among the media, I can attest to the fact that the average game at the Spectrum was much louder in terms of natural (i.e., fan-made) noise than the average game at the newer facility.
That's not to say there have not been cacophonous and spontaneous celebrations at the newer building. In fact, three of the four loudest hockey-related crowd eruptions I have ever witnessed in person (I was too young to be there for Stanley Cup I, and I watched Game 6 of the 1987 Stanley Cup Final on TV at home) took place at the current facility.
I am not a big fan of the contemporary in-game presentation at hockey games, with the utterly deafening sound systems, not-so-charming arena "hosts", canned video clips and repetitious live video segments, bombardment of in-game commercials, ice girls and intermission activities (not counting the classic Mites on Ice and youth hockey shootouts, I'm referring to things like the t-shirt slingshots/guns with the game host walking around on the ice, repeatedly shouting "Who wants a t-shirt?!"). It's not just Philadelphia that does this, of course. It's become pretty much the standard game-presentation style at arenas throughout the NHL.
To me, however, the hockey itself will always be the lure. The CFUWWF Center has been the site of many great hockey games and memorable moments over the years. Although I've been to the current facility to see about a dozen concerts, roughly 8-10 wrestling cards, three NBA/NCAA basketball games and a Wings indoor lacrosse game, all of the most memorable moments to me have been hockey-related ones. I did think it was pretty cool to be able to attend the free Ray Charles concert that was the "dress rehearsal event" for the then-CoreStates Center prior to its official opening for the 1996 World Cup of Hockey.
Whenever one of these "Great Moments" lists is created, it is not clear whether it should be limited to games/moments that went the way of the home team. Certainly, the most important hockey game at the current arena -- and one of the most memorable moments -- was Game 6 of the 2010 Stanley Cup Final.
For me, it was such a bittersweet experience. I will never forget the parking lot scene before the game. I'll certainly always remember the fact that it was the first Cup-clinching game I had ever attended in person, much less as a credentialed member of the media who went down on the ice and to both locker rooms after the game.
I will also remember, hours before the game even started, several members of the print and television media saying that they hoped the series would end that night because it had been a long season with a lot of travel and they didn't want to have to fly back to Chicago again for Game 7. Meanwhile, I had a window on my computer opened to Priceline, seeing what it would cost me (entirely out of my own pocket) to fly to Chicago for Game 7 and hoping that I had to spend the money for it.
The born-and-raised Flyers fan in me was in a state of confusion and then nauseated shock when I realized Patrick Kane had scored from an impossible angle to win Game 6 and the Cup in overtime. It felt really strange to see all the Blackhawks partisans still there long after the game ended, celebrating their first Cup win in 50 years, while all the Philadelphia supporters were gone. They were still there in the wee hours of the morning when I finished up a piece for Versus.com and a HockeyBuzz blog and finally went back to the house for a few hours of sleep.
But the hockey writer and hockey lover in me appreciated the moment and understood how much hard work and sacrifice went into getting there. That includes the sacrifices made by their families, who cried tears of joy. There were many hockey lifers in the Chicago organization who had never previously been part of a Cup winner during their playing and/or off-ice careers. I felt happy for them and tried to be as unobtrusive as possible, even as I wished it had been the members of the Philadelphia organization celebrating in Chicago two nights later.
Before I left the building, Eklund handed me a cork from the one of the dozens of champagne bottles that had been popped open in the victorious locker room. I still have it as my lone keepsake from the game, although the game outcome was not what I'd been hoping for.
At any rate, I will not include Game 6 of the 2010 Finals on the forthcoming Top 10 list of memorable moments. There was too much heartbreak for Philadelphia sports fans to include it.
Likewise, there is no way in hell that I would include Game 7 of the 2000 Eastern Conference Finals in which Scott Stevens' "clean" hit to Eric Lindros' head left the ex-captain woozy with a concussion and the Devils went on to complete their comeback from a three-games-to-one deficit in the series. It was not only the unhappy end to a season, it was also the unhappy end of an era of Flyers hockey that had started out with so much hope and promise.
Instead, the list will be confined to games/moments that brought joy to the locals who were there to witness them. Here goes:
Honorable mention: Legion of Doom Shreds Habs (Feb. 6, 1997): John LeClair and his Legion of Doom linemates, Eric Lindros and Mikael Renberg, made a regular habit of torturing the Montreal Canadiens in the first few years after the Habs traded LeClair, Eric Desjardins and Gilbert Dionne to the Flyers for Mark Recchi. In this game, Renberg put the Flyers on the board just 25 seconds after the opening faceoff. Later in the opening period, LeClair (two goals) and Eric Desjardins lit the lamp. By the end of the night, LeClair had a hat trick and an assist, while Lindros and Renberg both had a goal and four assists apiece. The Flyers won, 9-5.
10. Game 7 of 2003 Eastern Conference Quarterfinals (April 22, 2003): The Flyers-Leafs playoff series of 2003 and 2004 were a pair of absolute wars won by Philadelphia. In the first go-around, the series went the full seven games as the two clubs beat the hell out of one another. It closed out with a Flyers' 6-1 rout, as a pair of late-first period goals by Simon Gagne and Justin Williams opened the floodgates for Philly. In the second period, Ed Belfour completely lost his composure and the rout was on. Roman Cechmanek was only needed to make 18 saves on 19 shots for the clinching victory.
9. Game 5 of 2000 Eastern Conference Semifinals (May 7, 2000): Three days after the Flyers' historic five-overtime win in Pittsburgh than knotted the series at 2-2 (after Pittsburgh had won the first two games in Philadelphia), the Flyers emphatically seized control in Game 5. An early onslaught built a 2-0 lead before the game was even 3:30 old, and the Flyers road Andy Delmore's hat trick to a 6-3 win. Brian Boucher, in the midst of an
incredible rookie playoff run, made 29 saves.
8. Flyers-Senators Brawl-a-thon (March 5, 2004): 419 combined penalty minutes and several line brawls made this record-setting Friday night game memorable for something other than the Flyers' 5-3 victory. Here's a nice
recap of the triggering events and the records set. By the way, that game marked LeClair's lone fighting major of his Flyers' career (he had 3 for his entire NHL career -- one apiece as a member of the Habs, Flyers and Penguins).
7. The Peter Forsberg Show (April 26 & 28, 2006): Foppa single-handedly put the Flyers back in the 2006 Eastern Conference Quarterfinals against Buffalo with four goals and two assists in Games 3 and 4 of the series. For more, see the current installment of
HockeyBuzz Hotstove.
6. Game 4 of 2010 Eastern Conference Semi-finals (May 7, 2010): The Flyers' historic comeback from a 3-0 series deficit against the Boston Bruins started with Simon Gagne's overtime goal in Game 4. The Flyers were unable to close out the game in regulation, as Mark Recchi tied the game at 4-4 in the final minute of regulation. Given new life by Gagne's goal, the Flyers seemed pretty much impervious to adversity for the rest of the playoffs -- right up until Kane's OT goal in Game 6 of the Final presented a situation from which there was no opportunity to recover.
5. 1996 World Cup of Hockey: Game 1 of Finals: All three Philadelphia games in the tournament -- USA vs. Canada in the preliminary round, Canada vs. Sweden in the semi-finals and USA vs. Canada in Game 1 of the best-of-three finals -- were classic hockey games. The reaction in the building when John LeClair was credited with the late third-period goal that sent Game 1 of the final to overtime was incredible. Total strangers were embracing and jumping up and down. Philadelphia turned into a latter-day Lake Placid. For much more on the tournament, click
here for the Great Moments article I wrote for the Flyers' official site.
4. Game 6 of 2004 Eastern Conference Finals (May 24, 2004): The efforts of Keith Primeau and overtime heroics of Simon Gagne spurred the injury riddled Flyers to within one game of the 2004 Stanley Cup Final against eventual champion Tampa Bay. For more, see the related
Great Moments article on the Flyers' official site.
3. Game 5 of 2010 Eastern Conference Finals (May 24, 2010): A Flyers season that came within a final game shootout of missing the playoffs was redeemed with an unforgettable playoff run. Once the Flyers overcame a 3-0 series and Game 7 deficit against Boston in the ECSF it seemed almost inevitable that they would be able to dispatch Montreal in the Conference Final. Even so, the clinching victory of the series was cathartic to a city starved for its first trip to the Stanley Cup Final in 13 years.
2. Game 5 of 1997 Eastern Conference Finals (May 25, 1997): The pinnacle of the Lindros era was reached in 1997. Before everything unraveled in a four-game sweep in the Finals at the hands of Detroit, the Flyers staged a magnificent playoff run. It was an especially commendable accomplishment to take out a Rangers team loaded with future Hall of Famers in five games. For more on the playoff run that year, click
here.
1. Game 4 of 2010 Stanley Cup Finals (June 4, 2010): When the Flyers knotted the 2010 Cup Finals at two games apiece, they were closer to the Cup than they had been at any point since winning Game 6 of the 1987 Final. It was a great game, too, as the Flyers built up a 4-1 lead and then barely held on the third period until an empty-netter (Jeff Carter) in the final half minute sealed the win and ensured the series would come back to Philadelphia for Game 6 no matter what happened in Chicago next game.
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