When was your first Wings game at the Joe?

[Hockeytown0001 7,652]

My first game at the Joe was in March of '01; I was still living in Kansas City and my dad and I flew up here for one of his regional meetings and for an added bonus, he suprised me with more Wings tickets ! (I had just gone to a game in St. Louis the Saturday before, a 2-2 tie) My dad was friends with a guy who has had season tickets for the last 15 years, and I was suprised that we parked in the players lot. We went in the same entrance that the players used, and then I was shocked to see that we were right at ice level! I got to step out onto the ice and was completely in awe. Even more so when my dad said, "Come on, you're riding the zamboni." I almost fainted, lol. I rode with Al, and got my pic taken with him. After the zamboni ride (It was to clean the ice after warmups), I almost ran into Karen Newman! Then after taking our seats (right on the Calgary blue line, 8 rows up), it was another wild ride as Shanny scored 4 goals and the Wings won, 5-2. Probably one of the best experiances I've ever had and that I'll always remember!

[redwingfan19 293]

I was really young, but I remeber it was against the Devils and it was before Broduer was in the League. I went with my dad and my grandpa and I remeber the Wings won my dad bought me a bunch of cool wings stuff and thats also when I became a fan of the Wings. I think i was 7 or 8 when I went so I don't really remeber it well but I have the ticket stub still so thats how I knew it was the Devils lol. But that was my first Wings game, to young to really remeber but to this day I still have all that Wings stuff my dad bought pearched proudly on my shelf.

[SouthernWingsFan 854]

My first game at JLA was the first season back from the lockout in 2005-06.

I came up the week before Thanksgiving holidays I think of 2005 and saw the Wings play like poop in a 3-2 loss to the St. Louis Blues. The next game after that I went to live against the Predators, and it was the Jiri Fischer incident unfortuantely.

I came up that same season for a game late in the spring against the Chicago Blackhawks to a 3-2 loss in OT. So I was really a good luck charm that season.

But, my luck changed. I came up this season around the 2nd weekend of December. They played the Blues again and were down 3-0 at some point in the 2nd period. I was thinking, "Aw geez, not this s**t again!" with my bad luck charm. But, they rallied to a 4-3 OT win with a Datsyuk goal, then the next game they played was a 5-1 pistol-whipping of Toronto (all PP goals), which was fun to watch.

[BeeRYCE 2]

March of '98.

Blackhawks/Wings. They tied 5-5, and McCarty fought that night. I was so excited walking in, all estatic like IT'S STEVE YZERMAN! IT'S SERGEI FEDOROV. Keep in mind I was 9 years old, and OBSESSED.

[haroldsnepsts 4,826]

Dating myself a bit here, but it was sometime during the 85-86 season.

Yzerman, Gallant, Klima, Kocur, Probert, and of course Harold Snepsts. My friends dad always got free tickets, so I got to come along. The Joe was practically empty and good seats were easy to come by. But the very next season the Dead Things would once again become the Red Wings under Demer's leadership.

Edited June 9, 2007 by haroldsnepsts

[MUDSHARK 0]

It was 1982 or 83 I think. It was a year or two before Stevie Y. joined the team, I remember. My dad took me- I was pretty young, not even ten years old- and it was a game against Vancouver. The old, ugly-ass jerseys with the brown, orange, and yellow V!

Our seats were toward the bottom of the upper bowl, in one of the corners- pretty good seats, as I recall. We took a one goal lead, maybe twice, but wound up losing 4-3 or 5-4 or something. Like I said, I was pretty young, and it was a long time ago. but that was all it took for me. Of course, my dad was a hockey player when he was younger, and my grandpa and great-uncles all used to work at Olympia, so Wings hockey was pretty much a family tradition I latched onto once I got old enough...

Funny story, kinda related, knida not: so my Dad, who grew up around the old Corktown neighborhood, and his buddies, used to hang out at the Olympia parking lot back in the day- this would've been the early to mid 1950s- and offer to "watch" the cars of people going to the game "in exchange for a nominal fee." I've always pictured my dad and his other 10-yr. old buddies extorting spare change from fans going to Olympia, afraid these punks would mess with their cars! Pretty funny (unless you parked in the lot, I guess).

[#19=Legend 29]

I dont know what year it was but it was a long time ago, they played the coyotes and lost 4-2 there was a big brawl so that part was fun.

since then ive been to 3 more. One last year when they played the Blackhawks, the game where barnaby fell on top of legace and injured him. Then fisher fought barnaby. And i got to see a penalty shot but lang missed.

This year i went to a game early in the season when they won like 9-2 or something like that against the coyotes.

The most recent was the loss the the bruins this year.

[Swayze 81]

Mine was October 96' against the L.A. Kings, Shanahan's first game as a Red Wing. He scored his 1st goal as a Wing in the 1st period, but my dad was stuck in traffic around Troy and we missed it, but I did get to see he 2nd goal and Yzerman's goal (they won 3-0). I remember parts of that game, but I remember my 3rd game alot better, it was later that season on March 26th.

[TerribleTed7 0]

January 2, 2007 (Yzerman's Retirement) and I'm glad it was that game.

[OsGOD 3]

I went t' me first game back in 1982 against th' hartford whalers. 'twas th' best pushin' aside those curtains fer th' first time boardin' into th' joe louis arena

[StaticWithABeat 0]

96-97, Wings vs. Stars, end score 4-3 Wings. I was 11 years old, my dad had a friend at work lend him his season tickets. I remember thinking how huge the Stars players were and watching Osgood hoist his stick over the glass to a fan after the warmup. It was also a milestone night for Yzerman, moving past Delvecchio for most assists as a Wing or something like that.

[Barrie 900]

I came up that same season for a game late in the spring against the Chicago Blackhawks to a 3-2 loss in OT. So I was really a good luck charm that season.

Cool! I was at that game too! Yzerman scored a goal to pass Messier all time, and we gave him a Standing O during the commercial break. I'm man enough to say I got a little misty eyed and choaked up knowing it was the last time I'd see him live. Actually seeing about 11 Wings games in person (7 in Detroit, 2 in Buffalo, and 2 in Toronto), that was the only goal I saw him score.

Anyway, to answer the original question, my 1st Wings game at The Joe was Feb 16, 2001 vs. Columbus (I kept the ticket stub). The Wings won 3-1 I remember, and Vladdy was in the owners box, which made my frist trip really cool.

Edited June 10, 2007 by Barrie

[wingschamps 0]

february 14th, 2004 vs the avs. sadly, it was a 5-2 loss, but stevie scored which was pretty cool.

[oldredbarnman 13]

January 2nd, 1980. The 4th game played at the JLA, a 4-2 loss to Los Angeles(in their purple road sweaters).After seeing plenty of games at the Olympia, where you were right on top of the action, I couldn't stand the new building. Still can't. I hope Ilitch builds a new one soon. The Wings had a goal disallowed when the puck entered through a hole in the net next to the post.

[metalwinger_13 0]

mine was the game they retired Sid Abels jersey. I beleive it was against the Dallas Stars. I dont remember much besides wondering who the hell this Sid Abel guy was. I was i think 10 or so and all knew was that Gordie Howe was the greatest thing ever, mainyl cause my psycho aunt was nuts over him. But it was cool. Saw quite a few other games. Igors first as a wing, the game after the huge trade deadline aquistion in 99, game 2 against Nash., Game 2 against the flames this year, game 5 vs the ducks, a game against the rangers, kings, canucks with cujo in net.

[StaticWithABeat 0]

mine was the game they retired Sid Abels jersey. I beleive it was against the Dallas Stars. I dont remember much besides wondering who the hell this Sid Abel guy was. I was i think 10 or so and all knew was that Gordie Howe was the greatest thing ever, mainyl cause my psycho aunt was nuts over him. But it was cool. Saw quite a few other games. Igors first as a wing, the game after the huge trade deadline aquistion in 99, game 2 against Nash., Game 2 against the flames this year, game 5 vs the ducks, a game against the rangers, kings, canucks with cujo in net.

Damn that's quite the lineup...I would've given anything to be at a post-'99 trade deadline game, I was super excited about getting Wendel Clark. My approximate train of thought was "Meh, Chelios is old, he'll probably play out this season and retire...but no one will be able to stop us with WENDEL-EFFING-CLARK in the lineup!!"

[metalwinger_13 0]

i remember thining "holy s***" when my buddy at the bus stop told me before schol the next morning after the deadline. the cool thing was hodson who i beleive was traded strait up for Ranford played after the starter for tampa was pulled and every one gave him a round of applause for his tenure with the wings. Then with the Said abel retirement game, my uncle took me to a few card stores aroudn warren and one guy i remember saying how he had olympia stuff for sale and how cool it was for my first game i get to see that.

[Copenhagen848 58]

My very first game was quite a few years back...I think I was like 12. The Wings were playing the Penguins at the Joe and it was when Probert had (at the time) the longest fight in NHL history against Marty McSorley - 1:32 long I think it was. It was a great first game to be at even though they lost 6-3.

EDIT: I found the video

Edited June 10, 2007 by Copenhagen848

[zetterberg_fan_40 0]

I was in seventh grade and we got them from my uncle and we were sitting two rows behind the bench...it was amazing. I remember Krupp still played and it was when he reinjured himself and he slammed his stick and it shatterred and flew everywhere...AND Paul Boyer gave me a practice puck which was really exciting. By far the best game I ever went to.

However I still do get the second row seats nothing will compare to the first time...well unless Hank or Kyle Quincey like ran up and proclaimed their love for me but hey you never know...hahaha.

[HockeyCrazy3033 168]

February, 25th, 2001 against the Coyotes. Still got the ticket stub with D-mac on it. Wings were losing 3-0, scored the next 6 goals and ended up winning 6-3.

[Wings_Rule_1010 4]

My first game was back in 2001. After the first period some guy left the game and gave my sister and I his tickets (We had standing room only). It turns out he had row one. It was awesome. It was against Edmonton and Chelios scored the game winning goal in overtime.

[redwingslady87 130]

First Wings game at the Joe was Shannahan' sfirst game as a wing. Don't remember too much about the night since i was so young. It has been a LONG time since then though and my second game at the Joe was game one v.s. the Ducks this year and third game was game five against the ducks. Had a blast at all three games, even though we ended up losing game 5. Its cool to hear about everyone's experiences down there.

[HockeyCrazy3033 168]

First Wings game at the Joe was Shannahan' sfirst game as a wing. Don't remember too much about the night since i was so young. It has been a LONG time since then though and my second game at the Joe was game one v.s. the Ducks this year and third game was game five against the ducks. Had a blast at all three games, even though we ended up losing game 5. Its cool to hear about everyone's experiences down there.

Awesome!

I believe Shanny's first game was October 6th, 1996.

[vangvace 12]

My first game... I remember it was against St. Louis and Chevy was in goal, but that's about it.

Ironically, my wife's first game was also against St Louis in 2004.

[Swayze 81]

First Wings game at the Joe was Shannahan' sfirst game as a wing. Don't remember too much about the night since i was so young. It has been a LONG time since then though and my second game at the Joe was game one v.s. the Ducks this year and third game was game five against the ducks. Had a blast at all three games, even though we ended up losing game 5. Its cool to hear about everyone's experiences down there.

same first game as me