Denver

This is my first time in Denver, at least beyond the airport. It's a city that never interested me, and now, having been here... still doesn't.

Don't get me wrong, it's a lovely town. The people here seem very friendly and polite, it's pretty to look at, and -- at least this weekend -- the weather is beautiful. But it's boring. Denver has never had any draw for me, no big tourist activities that piqued my interest. So what finally got me here? Hockey.

Wishful thinking or not, I may not have many NHL seasons left in North America, so I want to see my beloved Montreal Canadiens as much as possible while I'm still here. When I noticed their game against the Colorado Avalanche was on a Saturday night, only a two hour flight away, I checked tickets; they were available, and cheap by NHL standards. So I got myself a 2nd row seat in the Montreal end of the ice, used air miles for a free plane ticket, and grabbed a discounted hotel room downtown. Nothing to lose.

Except the game.

Colorado has been playing amazingly this season, and they were unsurprisingly solid last night as well. Montreal, on the other hand, wasn't good at all. They continuously handed over the puck, spent too much time in their own zone, and when they got the chance to shoot, they hung around waiting for the Avs to take the puck back instead of attempting to score. As great as it was to have Max Pacioretty back in the lineup after his injury, he looked rusty. I cheered my voice away encouraging the Habs, but they deserved the loss, 4-1.

So I wasn't particularly heartbroken when I left the game, just frustrated. To put it like everyone's parents: I wasn't angry, just disappointed. Because they should have been better.

Still, it's always great to see my boys close up. Denver may not be the most exciting place, but I got to cheer for my Habs and visit somewhere new. And instead of stormy Seattle, I got a sunburn on top of a mountain where it was sunny and summery warm. So overall, I'll put this weekend in the win column.