September is just about upon us, and we are almost ready to really concentrate on NHL hockey again. Camps will open about September 18th and preseason games begin only a few days later. The Isles will play the Ottawa Senators on 9/22 then return to the USA to play in Uniondale, Brooklyn and Bridgeport before the season ‘officially’ starts.

I was asked if I would be going to Brooklyn to catch what is being billed as “The second NHL game in Brooklyn.” Once again, it’s against the NJ Devils, and while I did go to the FIRST ever NHL game in Brooklyn, I’m not sure about the second.

I checked out Ticketmaster to see how sales were going and whether there were even tickets available. The 9/24 game at the Barn has sold very well, but there are still a few seats available, some even in my old section 211. With those pesky Ticketmaster fees, they are $100.65 each. The lower bowl, for the few seats that are left, wasn’t that much more at $131.30 each and the upper 300s had a few seats at $54.65.

Barclays would set me back a bit more. Mid bowl ticket range was $61.65 to $114.25 and upper bowl is $21.85 for obstructed view to 82.10 for seats that you may actually see the ice. If you have stupid money you can pay up to$318.30 per ticket to be in the lower section or less than stupid money to sit in Section 24 for $139.75.

There is a deal by the Barclays people for group sales to the game. Group Sales pricing on their website lists the discount is about $10 - $11 each ticket for 20 or more tickets, you would get a free ticket and a $25 gift card to Applebee’s. But a special offer has me perplexed. The Barclays sales group sent out emails stating that anyone who brought 14 friends at a group rate, they’d get that 15th ticket free. But if you brought 30 friends (31 tickets) you’d get TEN (count ‘em TEN) Islander hats. Leaving 20 pissed off friends. And if you had the biggest group sale, you’d get ONE signed team stick. But at least your friends wouldn’t be pissed off that only a third of them got hats.

Now the Webster Bank Arena in Bridgeport on October 3rd against the Bruins has tickets for $70.70... IF you can find a ticket! There are very few sections with more than single seats available. I take it the price, even with the ridiculous Ticketmaster fee made the Bridgeport game the best value.

Here’s a few other things that have to be considered in deciding which game to go to. Transportation. While I can drive to the Barn in less than 45 minutes, they’ve raised the parking price to $15 per car. My LIRR ticket last time to Barclays from Ronkonkoma was $20 for the round trip. The train was packed last year and many people stood for the 90 minute ride. If not for the kindness of Newsday’s Mark Herrmann, I would have stood all the way home myself.

Now Bridgeport takes me 90 minutes too -- by ferry -- with a cocktail -- for $25 round trip. Granted I have to walk a few blocks to the stadium, but I don’t have to cross Atlantic Avenue and pray I don’t get hit by something. The Ferry is spacious and relaxing with a snack bar. The train is tight and crowded and generally unpleasant.

So it looks like -- I should probably go to the game in Canada.

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