Moose AHL hockey worth the money, Heat probably not

Had the chance to take in the second of a two-game set between the Manitoba Moose and Abbotsford Heat at the Abbotsford Sports and Entertainment Centre on Wednesday, in what ended up being a sell out. It was a pretty good atmosphere with tons of fans cheering for each side. The traffic jam on the way tot he rink was reminiscent of the the traffic jam before the big game in the movie Space Jam.

It was also my first experience at the ASEC, and it really impressed me. Much nicer than the new rink in Chilliwack, and I'll know in a few weeks where it ranks with the new Langley rink when I take in a Giants game there during the Olympic break.

Anyways, I was sitting in row 19 of 20 looking directly to center ice, and for $40, I'd say it was completely worth it. Seeing guys who could be playing in the NHL like Mathieu Schneider, Matt Pettinger and Cory Schneider, combined with (hopefully) future stars Michael Grabner and Sergei Shirokov, topped off with guys we will end up hating in Vancouver, Michael Backlund, was a pretty cool setting.

To the left is my view of the game, which was damn near perfect. Perfection would've being eight or so rows closer, just because of the jaw jacking near the benches that I wouldn't have minded hearing. Most notably from ex-Giant now Heat JD Watt. There were about eight fights between the two teams and Watt was involved in a lot of them.

The winner of the best scrap of the night? Guillame Desbiens. He started the third period circling center ice before pummeling whoever it was in an Abbotsford sweater that couldn't even land a single punch.

But other that Mathieu and Cory Schneider being by far the best players on the ice (Cory picked up the 3-0 shutout, Mathieu put a bullet past Matt Keetley to start scoring early in the first period), it was interesting that the future stars Backlund, Grabner, and Shirokov were actually pretty invisible out there. The more noticeable players ended up being the guys who are more than likely to end their careers in the AHL. Guys like Matt Pope, Jason Jaffray, Nolan Baumgartner and Mike Keane.

So. Would I go back to watch the Moose play in Abbotsford? Definitely. Would I go see the Heat play another team? Only if I got cheap/free tickets or I know someone on the other team, which I will when Bridgeport comes to town.

Other than that, just wanted to pass alone a pretty sweet jersey I saw at the rink just as the game was ending, an old Hartford Whalers Ron Francis sweater. Cue the Brass Bonanza.