Since about last August when an esteemed business colleague in Toronto wrote me the following:  “[Y]ou’re a huge hockey fan so let me know if there is anything I can do for you if you are in Toronto vis a vis Leaf tickets,” I’ve circled today on my calendar with a rocking red felt pen.    Tonight, with two lower bowl tix in hand, John Keeley from OFB and I invade the Air Canada Centre for the Capitals game in Hogtown.

We’ll each aim to bring you some of the sights and sounds in and around the ACC, and provide coverage from the Caps’ dressing room post-game.

John’s trip to the 416 was an epic journey, one which he hopes to share in detail with Coach Boudreau tonight, who himself is quite familiar with the more northerly points of Keeley’s Shackleton-esque trek.

As a citizen of Gotham, I took a distinctly different path.  At about 1:45 pm, I began my preparations to depart work early and escape the concrete jungle.  Having believed I’d sufficiently tidied up matters on an early Friday afternoon, I still faced a constant, cringing watch of my Blackberry, hoping last-minute issues would not arise while I’m boarding a plane for paradise. 

It was a feeling not unlike the one suffered watching most any prior Capitals / Penguins playoff game, when the game is tied, Pens on the power play.   

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To get up to Toronto, I first took the S shuttle subway from Midtown’s Grand Central Station to the 3, one stop down to Penn Station, descended therein to its bowels, and located the NJTransit train that would screech and lurch its way southbound toward Newark Liberty Airport.  From the AirTrain station, I boarded said train (the fourth rail transport in a row) and followed its entire route to its terminus which was, of course, the terminal where my plane was located.  All the while anxiously checking the time and such.

Once I finally touched down in the Big Smoke of Ontario, I felt both a rush of both relief and exhileration.  At the customs desk, the usual questions I answered with:  “I’m primarily here for the Leafs and Capitals tomorrow.  I’m a big Caps fan.” 

The officer replied “Ovechkin’s in town tomorrow.  Should be a good one.  You’ve got a good team there.”

“Yeah,” I said, “it’s been a long time coming.”

“Well, you’re talking to a Leafs fan here.”

The baggage area, which I swiftly by-passed, featured, above that tapeworm of a contraption which carries bags to its owners, a TV on which shone the smiling face of Jim Hughson and his distinctive voice so often a part of HNIC.    

John and I dined at a casual, but wonderful, steakhouse in the touristy enclave of downtown T.O., the Canyon Creek, a Southern Ontario chain.  Next door is the Loose Moose, which Mike Vogel has mentioned on the Capitals Report a few times.  (We’ll likely check that out at some point post-game.)

At the Creek, we saw the aforementioned Hughson and later chatted with Versus reporter, and Toronto native, Christine Simpson.  Keeley was already passionately advocating for a second straight Jack Adams Award for Coach, given the way in which the team has responded to the multitude of injuries. 

It’s gusty, with snow flurries, and a -4 C.  The forecast calls for 8 cm of snow today.

Soon, its off to the Hall of Fame.

(Speaking of touchdowns, this is also, incidentally, the weekend on which the NFL plays at the Rogers Centre, neé Skydome: Bills and Dolphins.)