One year ago today...

...This happened:

There I was in the Ericsson Globe in Stockholm, about to watch my first live Anaheim Ducks game, after being a die-hard, long-distance fan of the team for eight years. Sure, it wasn't at the Pond, but this was the next best thing after I had to miss the Ducks vs Kings games that took place in London four years earlier. I never thought I'd get an opportunity like that ever again, and yet here I was, seeing the likes of Teemu Selanne, Ryan Getzlaf, Corey Perry, and even head coach at the time Randy Carlyle, right in front of my eyes. And not on my laptop screen for a change.

There was also some team from New York on the ice. But who cares about them, right? Apparently, a lot of people did.

This was an odd experience in that it was 'officially' a home game for Anaheim - with their goal horn and everything - but with the majority of fans in attendance rooting for New York because of a certain goalie known as Henrik Lundqvist coming to play in his homeland, it definitely felt more like a Rangers home game (seriously, the marketing was focused solely on him. Although I imagine it was the same for Teemu Selanne in Finland only a day earlier). It was kinda surreal cheering by myself in the section of the arena I was in when the Ducks scored, and then having nearly everyone else around me stand up screaming when the Rangers tied the game later on. I didn't like that goal, but in a way I'm grateful for it because that took the game all the way to the shootout in which the Ducks eventually won.

I remember before going into this game I had this feeling of dread as I knew the Ducks lost 4-1 to the Sabres over in Helsinki the night before. But as I walked into the arena I put this aside as I was overcome with both nostalgia from having been here to see the Sharks and Blue Jackets a year earlier, and of course excitement at seeing my first Ducks game. After the Ducks won, I had adrenaline pumping through me and also this huge grin on my face that stuck with me all the way back to the hotel. I can remember it all like it was yesterday, and I don't think it's something I'm ever going to forget.

On a side note: it turns out that today is also the 19th anniversary of the first ever Anaheim Mighty Ducks game. Yet another awesomely weird coincidence to add to the list.