BB&T Center

Game One Stanley Cup Playoffs:
Miami, Florida

Walking up to BB&T

This comes under the heading of: Since I was in the neighborhood…

The Florida Panthers are hosting the New York Islanders in round one of the Stanley Cup Playoffs, and I found out that tickets were fairly affordable by NHL standards.

Main entrance into BB&T. The green alien discs glow at night

As this will probably be my last hockey game of the season, I was looking forward to it.

The view from inside B&T

BB&T is a very nice arena. I was impressed. If Miami put in for the Frozen Four some year, I would certainly think they’d get the event from what I’ve seen. This is not quite the hockey town that Tampa has become, but it has come a long way.

Center ice before warm ups

I received a free t-shirt at the game, and the Panthers have become my adopted team this year. Nick Bjugstad is a former Golden Gopher, and I’ve followed his career since he left Minnesota. Jaromir Jagr was playing in his 204th playoff game! That is insane.

The Panthers during warmups

The Panthers put on pressure all game, ending up with 46 shots on goal. They got things started with a goal by Teddy Purcell, but by the end of period one it was tied 2-2.
The aisles were jammed packed when Panthers Reilly Smith scored to take the lead, but once again NY sent it to intermission tied.
NY scored twice in the third, and Smith scored his second goal, but it was not enough for Florida as the NYI went on to a 5-4 win. Game two is tomorrow night.

John Tavares had a goal and an assist for NYI for the #1 Star of the game. Reilly Smith was the second star. Bjugstad had an assist for Florida.

Hopefully, the series will be tied up when it heads north to Brooklyn.