While it may be three months later than expected, the NHL is back. The 2012-2013 season is now just the 2013 season and for hockey diehards the shortened schedule is a small price to pay for the return of the sport they love.
Play officially begins this coming Saturday, January 19th, and all three local teams will be in action. Both the Rangers and Devils will begin play on the road, while the Islanders open at home.
The Boston Bruins kick off their schedule playing host to the New York Rangers at the TD Garden beginning at 7 p.m. Individual game tickets go on sale this Wednesday, January 16th at 2 p.m. In the meantime, in a city where they take their hockey seriously, both StubHub and Craigslist already have tickets available on line.
The Garden has a number of dining options available from the upscale to basic concession take away items. Another option is either a pre-game meal or post-game dessert in the nearby North End neighborhood or at the Faneuil Hall Marketplace down by the waterfront.
The Italian North End still retains its old world charm and is a virtual walk through the cuisines found within the various regions of Italy. It’s almost impossible not to find a great place to eat here.
Like New York’s South Street Seaport, Faneuil Hall is both an outdoor shopping center and an indoor food market featuring many restaurants and food sampling opportunities. The area is usually packed with tourists, but is worth a visit for its old world charm and big selection of delicacies.
There are parking garages surrounding the neighborhood by the TD Garden. A cheaper option, however, for those already in town is Boston’s public transportation. The T’s Green Line stops at North Station across from the Garden.
As both a popular historical destination and a major college town, Boston has plenty of places for visitors to stay, explore and dine. The city and surrounding areas contain many famous historical sites, world class museums and attractions.
New York’s other two local teams will meet each other to start the new season on Saturday. The New Jersey Devils will cross the river and head out to Long Island to face off against the New York Islanders at the Nassau Coliseum. Tickets for the 7 p.m. encounter are on sale Monday, January 14th at 10 a.m.
The Coliseum and nearby dining choices are located in the middle of Long Island and are best reached by car. While Nassau County does have a number of beautiful sights and neighborhoods, the area surrounding the Coliseum is not particularly interesting for visitors. For those that don’t want to drive too far from the Coliseum, the Long Island Marriott is adjacent to the Coliseum and offers both accommodations and dining.
With the news that the struggling Islanders will be relocating to Brooklyn’s Barclay’s Center in 2015, don’t expect the Coliseum to be refurbished in the meantime. Regardless, the arena does offer a pub, a restaurant and many concession items.
After 119 days of being locked out, the NHL is back. The New York area’s three teams will hit the ice shortly and professional hockey will be back in the tri-state area.
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