A New First for Ramsey: Hockey Game

 Another new FIRST for Ramsey - his first hockey game!  Wahoo!   We were greeting by Santa and Mrs. Claus not long after entering the building.  Photo opp!  ;-)

It was our neighbor girl's birthday (one of Ramsey's "sisters") birthday.  The party was held at a Wings game at the local ice arena, in a private suite.   Since there would be adults at the party, I went to the shindig too!    We got there a bit early to check it out.   The suite filled up with friends quickly.  The suite had a bar, drinks, heaters, and food. 

The Wings are a Tier II junior ice hockey team (teenagers).   The young men actually go to school here in town for the season, staying with host families.  

At one of the intermissions, "Winger", the mascot, and the canon-bearing 4-wheeler driver came onto the ice.  The kids went wild, waving their hands, begging to get a free Wings T-shirt.

Ramsey was the lucky one in our suite to get a T-shirt.  He was thrilled!  

I was happy for him, but also happy because it was more my size than his!  ha!  Mine!!!

It had been a close match-up, but things heated up in the last period.

 There had been a few scuffles throughout the game, but there was one fight that broke out that was pretty wild!  I had to capture it on one of the monitor's replay since I didn't have my camera ready.  These boys went fist to cuffs for a bit, swinging rather violently.  But, at the end, they gave each other a fist bump and went about their business.   

I asked why the refs didn't break up the fight.  Apparently it's such a common occurrence, they just let them throw their punches, get it out of their systems, then go on with the game once the tiff is over.

After the game ended (The Wings won!), the team captains and the referees gathered and knelt for a unity prayer.

I will say, it was much more impressive and entertaining than I thought it would be - I wasn't sure what to expect from an advanced youth league.  It was loads of fun!  

Before we left, Ramsey got hold of the suite's crazy clanger.   He's not one for loud noises, but he had a ton of fun ringing the bell.