We went with two French friends (as in French, from France, not Quebecois). And they were apologizing for the nosebleed-section seats, saying "what you really get here is the ambiance." And E and I nodded - we're familiar with the thrill of the crowd at live sporting events, and assumed we knew what we were getting into.
But of course we didn't! It was like a party in there. First of all, it's huge. Can't-really-see-to-the-other-side-of-the-Bell-Centre huge. And it was totally packed. We were up so high there were bars in front of each row to prevent people from plummeting to their deaths--either accidentally, or on the occasion of a particularly bad attempted save. And there was the usual paraphernalia-wearing. In our section, though (basically up in the far corner behind the visitor's goal), we were also treated to a fleet of Molson-sponsored cheerleaders. Each section in that top level behind the goal had one. They were fully spandex-clad and more than fully made up. And man could they yell! That seemed to be their main job. That and slapping a tambourine against one of their many cheer cards (and their bottoms).
These women riled up the crowd like you wouldn't believe. Not that the crowd really needed riling. It was so loud in there you almost forgot there was a hockey game going on. We heard none of the refs' calls, none of the goal buzzers, nothing of what the announcers or guests said on the massive television monitors. E and I barely heard each other as we shouted our amazement at said "ambiance."
So yeah. Now we get it. We also get why after a win the streets of downtown are filled with honking and shouting - we are serenaded in our building even, many blocks away. The emotions drummed up at a game like that don't just end with the third period. And we're grateful to our two friends for inviting us along! A whole new insight into the Montreal psyche....
