There are a ton of reporters covering this tournament, so many in fact that they have placed the media/interview room in what appears to be the Toronto Raptors practice court. After the game, in order to get to the players on the 3rd floor from the Press Box on the 6th floor we take an elevator and then walk the concorse against the flow of traffic as the fans are filing out.
Tonight, despite Team North America's loss to Team Russia, the largely Toronto area fans were chanting "Auston Matthews, (Clap clap...clapclapclap)" I even saw one guy, in a #34 Team North America Jersey, high five his buddy and yell, "Dude, do you realize what we just saw? We saw Auston Matthews score his first goal EVER in Toronto."
I saw this happen as a kid when I attended the game where Eric Lindros scored his first goal as a Flyer and I will never forget it..
More on this game in a few hours...and I will preview rivalry Tuesday as the Swedes pay the Finns and of course the Americans face the Canadians...
Hey signups have begun for another season of the HockeyBuzz Super League Fantasy Game!
Sign up here: HBSL sign up
It's the best fantasy game every created. Of course, we're a little biased. The HBSL is a hybrid between a salary cap game and a head-to-head fantasy game. Each week you create your 20 man roster based on the actual NHL salary cap and the actual salary cap hits. You then face-off with a fellow hockey fan. At the end of the regular season, we throw the best 128 teams into a 7-week playoff.
There is a Season Ticket Holder bracket and a Free bracket.
HBSL STH Bracket Entrants who were season ticket holders at the start of the NHL season are eligible for the following prizes:
Grand Prize: HDTV Runner-up: Replica Stanley Cup Semi-Finals Losers: Customized NHL Jersey Quarter-Finals Losers: HockeyBuzz Shirt & $25 Amazon.com Gift Card
HBSL Free Bracket Entrants that were NOT season ticket holders at the start of the NHL season are eligible for the following prizes:
Grand Prize: Customized NHL Jersey Runner-up: HockeyBuzz Shirt & $25 Amazon.com Gift Card Semi-Finals & Quarter-Finals Losers: HockeyBuzz Shirt
Good luck! HBSL sign up
Watch the Buzzcast at 1pm as we discuss last night's game and the big match between Canada and the US:
Listen to the HockeyBuzzCast on #iTunes w/ @eklund @mikeinbuffalo @sportsology @DanDanNoodles78 @fisherjillian https://t.co/4Vc8NnpljX #NHL
— Michael Augello (@MikeInBuffalo) April 26, 2016