As a hockey fan, I can say that I had the opportunity to see and touch the ultimate prize up close, and it was well worth it. This happened just over two years ago as the local junior team where I live was going to have it on display at one of their games. I knew from the moment I found out about this that it was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity and I had to capitalize on it. It's rare that the Stanley Cup makes a visit to your hometown, especially if hockey isn't all that popular there.
The local junior team in my hometown doesn't usually have too many people coming to their games, but there were certainly more people who showed up to this one since Lord Stanley was in attendance. Once I got there, I first had to buy my ticket. My seat was in one of the middle rows near center ice. It was also my first and only hockey game that I've attended that didn't involve NHL teams.
As I entered the seating area, I ran into my friend who was working for the local junior team at the time. I was speaking with him until the line to see the Stanley Cup started to get significantly longer. In fact, for much of the game, the line to see the Stanley Cup up close wrapped around most of the lower bowl of the arena. It was best for me to get in line to see the Cup towards the beginning of the game as it would be more difficult to see it at any other time. In addition, the main reason I was at this game was for this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. I remained in line from before the start of warm-ups to the beginning of the first period. My turn to see Lord Stanley eventually came. I think we can all agree that it is the greatest trophy in all of sports. It is even more magnificent seeing it up close. I almost didn't touch the Cup due to a somewhat well-known superstition in the hockey world, but this may be my only chance to be up close with the Cup, so I placed my hand on it when my pictures with the Cup were being taken. Once my turn was up and other fans in attendance were receiving their turn with the Cup, I stood further back from others but still in the same room to soak this moment in for a little while longer. I eventually located my seat to catch the rest of the game. I'm not too familiar with my local junior team, but all I know is that they won this particular game. I also remember that the Sharks were playing that same night against the Golden Knights and got a huge win in the last few minutes of their game.
On a side note, many of the fans in attendance repped a variety of NHL teams, most of them being Sharks fans like myself. Other teams in that variety included the Blackhawks, Kings, Ducks, Red Wings, Golden Knights, Wild, Flyers, Penguins, Lightning, Maple Leafs, Canadiens, Oilers, Rangers, Coyotes, Capitals, Bruins, Stars, Hurricanes, Avalanche, and Blues. I didn't expect to see many fans of other NHL teams there besides the two teams from Southern California and a few of the more well-known and successful franchises.
Lastly, once the game was over, I remember it was incredibly foggy once exiting the arena and heading home. Overall, seeing the Stanley Cup up close is an experience I will never forget. Many hockey fans can only dream of seeing the Stanley Cup up close, and many players and coaches can only dream of hoisting the Cup one day. I can say that I have seen and touched the Stanley Cup, and I'm very grateful for it. If another opportunity for me to see the Stanley Cup in person arises again, there's no question that I will fully take advantage of it as much as I possibly can.
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