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Playoff fever kicks off in Ottawa
By Mike Aubry ,Ottawa Sun
Senators playoff fever has officially taken hold in Ottawa as fans lined up Saturday to nab first-round tickets.
"We're diehard fans, and we can't wait for the playoffs. Go Sens army!" said Joe Lemtini, first in line, who came with his two best friends at 6 a.m., four hours before the box office opened.
The Algonquin College grad already had one set off playoff tickets but showed up in person to secure the rest of the games.
An intimate crowd of 40 fans -- less than other years -- snaked their way through the queue to guarantee their spot.
"When we first started here, there were lineups on both sides of the stadium, down the stairs, right across the top and right out the door," said Scotiabank Place security guard Bill Brooks, who has worked at the stadium for 17 years.
"We used to have more than a thousand people just so anxious to get into the games and into the playoffs."
He said with more people buying tickets online, the numbers have steadily decreased.
But Brooks said it's about the experience and having tangible tickets to grasp in your palm.
"I like the personal, one-on-one issue," he said. "It's a lot of fun to meet people, to share old stories of the past and what's coming on in the future. Everyone bonds here."
Dave Caroccetto made sure he was in line with a strong coffee at 6:15 a.m., but he wasn't buying tickets for himself.
His son's birthday is coming up, and he's going to surprise him with playoff tickets so that he can take his girlfriend to a game for the first time.
Yet not everyone in attendance was rooting for the Sens.
Jos Vanderploge is a Boston Bruins fan through and through, and if they don't play Ottawa in the playoffs, he's going to turn over his tickets to friends.
Fans had high hopes for their team, no matter who they face -- either the Boston Bruins or the New York Rangers -- in the first round.
"We can take either of those teams," said Anthony De Angelis. "If we survive round 1, everything else is gravy. If they can beat Boston or the Rangers, I think they can beat anyone."
Scotiabank's entertainment team made sure spirits were high in the queue, handing out Timbits, door prizes and Sens trivia questions.
"We just want to get people pumped up and excited about it," said Laura Robinson, a Scotiabank employee.
"Some of these people were waiting for a few hours, so we wanted to keep the excitement built up."
Playoff tickets range from $45 to $250 each, and each person can buy a maximum of eight tickets.
Twitter: @ottawasunmaubry
How to buy Sens tickets:
Devout Sens fans picked up their playoff tickets early Saturday morning but there?s still time to nab a seat. The Senators have three home playoff games scheduled.
Capitaltickets.ca is selling tickets online, priced between $45 and $250, with a limit of eight tickets per person.
Tickets are also on sale by phone at 613-599-FANS(3267), toll free at 1-877-788-3267, at Sens Store locations in Carlingwood Mall and Place D?Orleans, at any Ottawa Sports Experts location, at Scotiabank Place or Les Galleries de Hull.
Season ticket-holders for the 2012-13 can buy tickets at regular season prices, a saving of up to 60%.
Home post-season play should start the week of April 16.
By Mike Aubry ,Ottawa Sun
Senators playoff fever has officially taken hold in Ottawa as fans lined up Saturday to nab first-round tickets.
"We're diehard fans, and we can't wait for the playoffs. Go Sens army!" said Joe Lemtini, first in line, who came with his two best friends at 6 a.m., four hours before the box office opened.
The Algonquin College grad already had one set off playoff tickets but showed up in person to secure the rest of the games.
An intimate crowd of 40 fans -- less than other years -- snaked their way through the queue to guarantee their spot.
"When we first started here, there were lineups on both sides of the stadium, down the stairs, right across the top and right out the door," said Scotiabank Place security guard Bill Brooks, who has worked at the stadium for 17 years.
"We used to have more than a thousand people just so anxious to get into the games and into the playoffs."
He said with more people buying tickets online, the numbers have steadily decreased.
But Brooks said it's about the experience and having tangible tickets to grasp in your palm.
"I like the personal, one-on-one issue," he said. "It's a lot of fun to meet people, to share old stories of the past and what's coming on in the future. Everyone bonds here."
Dave Caroccetto made sure he was in line with a strong coffee at 6:15 a.m., but he wasn't buying tickets for himself.
His son's birthday is coming up, and he's going to surprise him with playoff tickets so that he can take his girlfriend to a game for the first time.
Yet not everyone in attendance was rooting for the Sens.
Jos Vanderploge is a Boston Bruins fan through and through, and if they don't play Ottawa in the playoffs, he's going to turn over his tickets to friends.
Fans had high hopes for their team, no matter who they face -- either the Boston Bruins or the New York Rangers -- in the first round.
"We can take either of those teams," said Anthony De Angelis. "If we survive round 1, everything else is gravy. If they can beat Boston or the Rangers, I think they can beat anyone."
Scotiabank's entertainment team made sure spirits were high in the queue, handing out Timbits, door prizes and Sens trivia questions.
"We just want to get people pumped up and excited about it," said Laura Robinson, a Scotiabank employee.
"Some of these people were waiting for a few hours, so we wanted to keep the excitement built up."
Playoff tickets range from $45 to $250 each, and each person can buy a maximum of eight tickets.
Twitter: @ottawasunmaubry
How to buy Sens tickets:
Devout Sens fans picked up their playoff tickets early Saturday morning but there?s still time to nab a seat. The Senators have three home playoff games scheduled.
Capitaltickets.ca is selling tickets online, priced between $45 and $250, with a limit of eight tickets per person.
Tickets are also on sale by phone at 613-599-FANS(3267), toll free at 1-877-788-3267, at Sens Store locations in Carlingwood Mall and Place D?Orleans, at any Ottawa Sports Experts location, at Scotiabank Place or Les Galleries de Hull.
Season ticket-holders for the 2012-13 can buy tickets at regular season prices, a saving of up to 60%.
Home post-season play should start the week of April 16.
