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First Devils game you went to live


roomtemp

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http://www.hockey-reference.com/boxscores/199303290NJD.html

 

Devils vs. Sharks, March 29th, 1993.

 

Stephane Richer scored a natural hat trick, Chris Terreri had the shutout.  All five goals were scored in the second period, and of course I was in the upper bowl behind the net the Devils shot at in the first and third periods. The Sharks were in their second season, terrible, and in the midst of something like a 13 game road losing streak. This was their 10th road loss in a row apparently.

 

I've been to hundreds of games since, and have yet to see a second Devils hat trick in person.

Wow I was at that one too, and in section 223.  It was my first Devils win since my first game in 1988.  I specifically asked my father to get tickets to that game just so we could see them win.

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Little better version of my story. I was going to college in Pittsburgh in 2007, and with my college ID, a ticket was only $20...but it was standing room only. It was also 'crosby bobble head night'. So after the first period, I decide I was sick of standing and I somehow bartered my bobble head to an usherfor a seat. He put me center ice, ten rows up in the season ticket holder section. Suffice to say people were not happy. The stadium kept putting devil fan pics on the jumbotron thing saying 'boo this man until he takes off his jersey' suffice to say I did not, and we were already leading 4-0 so the pens fans were already super pissy. Anyways after the second period, I was invited to a box with 4 other devils fans. The person who invited us was none other than Kevin Smith, who, despite me being underage provided me with several gin and tonics. Devils won and I had a number of Pitt fans follow me home on the T threatening to kill me blah blah blah. Best first devils game ever.

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October 14th, 2000 against the Mighty Ducks of Anaheim.

We won. My only memory from the game was that I was banging on the class where Gomez was standing during warm-ups. He turned around, smiled, and slapped his stick on the glass right where my face was. I'm sure most here hate the guy, but that is a memory that will stay with me forever.

Edited by Jerseydevils0324
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Best thing that ever happened to me, Devils vs. Blackhawks on December 4th, 1993 when I was six years old.  The game was a 2-2 tie, goals from Niedermayer, Zelepukin, Matteau, and Joe Murphy.  I found the date and scorers by looking it up, but I really don't remember anything from it other than the score, upper level center ice seats, and having a lot of fun.  I didn't care for hockey at all until then, I was playing soccer and tee ball, but after that I started hanging out with my neighbor who was a couple years older than me and played hockey.  We played on the patio in my backyard using baseball bats as sticks and the spiky seed pod things that fell from trees as pucks.  Eventually my mom got me a hockey stick--one of those crappy plastic ones with the flat blade, but it was a major improvement.  Throughout elementary school, almost every day my neighbor and I and some other kids from nearby streets came by and we played street hockey until they got to middle school and I guess street hockey wasn't cool anymore, and since the 90s was ending neither were roller blades. 

 

I was bummed out that my neighbors didn't play anymore, but around the end of middle school I was able to get all my friends into hockey and throughout high school we played pick-up games multiple days a week and some of them pursued it more and joined some local leagues with me.  When we finished high school some of us continued to play together in adult leagues and I made more lifelong friends and had great times while playing for the Rutgers roller hockey team.  Now I am playing on a semi-pro minor league roller hockey team (which sounds like a bigger deal than it really is, it's basically an adult travel team that you have to try out for), I work at an ice rink where I run the adult league, and I also organize a charity outdoor roller hockey tournament twice a year. 

 

So much of my life--my job, most of my friends, and lots of great memories of wins, losses, locker room banter, and traveling and hanging out with teammates--all would have never happened if not for that 2-2 tie I watched but barely understood when I was six years old.  If not for going to that game, I would probably be a totally different person, probably still inhaling kicked up infield dirt or getting sunburn in right field while sucking ass at baseball.

Edited by devilsfan26
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Best thing that ever happened to me, Devils vs. Blackhawks on December 4th, 1993 when I was six years old.  The game was a 2-2 tie, goals from Niedermayer, Zelepukin, Matteau, and Joe Murphy. 

 

I went to that game too...was on a double date...we hit Houlihan's on Route 3 afterwards.  It was actually kind of a lifeless game from what I remember...just kind of ugly.  I also remember being kind of bummed because the Devils had been scoring a lot to start the season (they went 7-0-0 and 14-4-0 to start the year), but the goals has stopped coming (this had been a pattern in recent seasons back then...quick offensive starts over the first quarter of the season or so).  That tie made them 1-2-4 (one win, two losses, four ties) in seven games after that 14-4 start. 

 

The '93-'94 team had a terrific year overall, but I remember people not really believing in them, especially around midseason...their schedule to start the season was pretty soft, then after going 14-4-0, they went just 16-15-7 in their next 38 games, and critics were starting to say they were pretenders, same ol' Devils, not really as good as their record, etc.  (Keep in mind the Devils has just about NEVER put up an eye-friendly regular season record like this, with the exception of '91-'92, but they slumped at the end of that year.)  They went on a big tear just as the doubters were weighing in...with their record at 30-19-7, they went 15-2-4 and people began taking them seriously.  I also remember them having a three or four game stretch where they scored a goal in the first minute of play each time at some point during that 15-2-4 run.  Really was a fun year...especially since I went to a lot of games that year.  I lived 20 minutes from the arena at the time, and a good friend of mine was ALWAYS willing to go to games with me...all I had to do was pick up the phone.  I must've seen at least 25 home games that season, maybe more.   

Edited by Colorado Rockies 1976
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My memory is fuzzy but it was in 1984 I took my youngest son who was 18 at the time and we went to the Byrne arena and have followed the Devils ever since. Now that same son is going to the games with his 8 year old son and 10 year old daughter. I can't remember who was the opponent in 84 or the score but I do remember we won.

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I know it was in 1989 and against Hartford Whalers.  Looking it up it looks like it was Oct 26th, 1989 where the Devils lost 7-3.  I honestly thought we won that game but looking it up it looks like we didn't.  I called my dad who took me to the game where he got tickets to the lower level from a business partner and he said he remembers the Devils losing that one.  lol oh well.

 

The part I remember the most though was a guy next to me in a Daneyko jersey in his 30's I believe who was super-intesively into the game and was yelling and screaming the entire time.  This this was still the era when not many fans wore jerseys to the game I thought at the time he was a player who wasnt playing that game and that is why he was so into it hahaha.

Edited by DevsMan84
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I was in first grade, so somewhere around '85-'86 season.  It was against the Blackhawks, we sat lower level behind the goal, and this was long before there was any netting, so during the game a shot came screaming past our seats, my dad got a finger on it and it took off part of his finger nail.  Never been more proud of a broken nail.  

 

Another cool story, I was at another game down by the glass watching pre game warmups.  I was banging on the glass and Bill Guerin tossed a puck over for me.  Pretty sure I still have the puck. 

 

 

I also remember going to a lot of stick day games in the 80s. 

Edited by Jmorc2003
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Man....I wish I could remember my first live game. Was back in the mid 80s.

My Dad used to take me to Brendan Byrne Arena all the time when I was a kid cause the company he worked for had season tickets in the lower  section. I try to remember but it was definitely close and slightly off center, maybe first 15 rows between the center and blue lines. We did Nets games too and I remember always thinking how damn tall those guys were, but Devils games were always more exciting.  

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A 5-1 loss to the Flyers in 96.   :(

 

That was my first game as well. All I remember about it is that Hextall couldn't have looked more bored for most of that game.

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playoffs 88 ithink v. the Rags, but not 100% sure...

RagS didn't make the playoffs that year,Devs knocked 'em out winning the MacLean OT Chicago game.

 

Played the Isles, Caps, and Bruins

 

My first was '85. Devs bear the Failyers. Got into it with an obnoxious Philly excuse of a fan.

 

Never looked back.

Edited by Jimmy Leeds
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I remember all the Flyers goals too.  Marty got pulled for Schwab in the 2nd

 

I think, but don't quote me on this, that the Devils only goal was scored by McKay. One thing that I always look back fondly on with that game is how many damn good hockey players I got to see play in my first game ever. Brind'Amour, Hawerchuk, Andreychuk, Housley, LeClair, Hextall, Guerin, MacLean, Nieds, Stevens, Marty...I mean, all those guys are HHOFers or borderline HHOFers. No Lindros though, I remember that much. 

Edited by PWW
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October 31, 1987: my dad took me to see the Devils take on the great Edmonton Oilers. Devils beat Gretzky-Messier-Kurri 5-4 that night as Alain Cheverier outdueled Grant Fuhr. My father (a passive hockey fan who would never turn down Rangers tickets but wasn't going out of his way to watch on TV) and I attended 3 other games that season.

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First season, November game against Edmonton. Still have the program somewhere. We lost 5-1 but I was hooked.

I was just a kid, 9 years old but still remember being really excited to see these guys skate and play. Looking back I realize now how lucky I was to see Gretzky and crew play but I was a jersey kid and have rooted for the Devils ever since. Those days you could easily get to the lower sections, was never that full. Probably what helped hook me in.

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