This past Saturday I headed down to Chinatown for the Chinatown 5K. I believe this is one of the smaller races in Chicago with less than 1,000 participants. The route is pretty much a straight-line down Wentworth Avenue from Chinatown to US Cellular Field and back. I managed to finish 428th near my usual time.
Side Notes:
Previous 5K’s: BTN B1G 5K 2012, BTN B1G 5K 2013
This past Memorial Day, Julie and I attended Game One of the Stanley Cup Final in Pittsburgh at Consol Energy Center in which the Penguins defeated the Sharks 3-2. In the past we’ve attended Stanley Cup Final games at the United Center and Joe Louis Arena but this was by far the best experience. The crowd at the arena was amazing, the people in our section were great. All around great atmosphere.
The Penguins jumped out to a quick 2-0 lead before the Sharks came back late. The Penguins were able to get a late goal for the win in the final minutes. I’m pretty sure all but one of the five goals scored were on our side of the rink. I’ve only been in the lower bowl a couple of times and never in a playoff game. It’s hard to appreciate on TV how fast the game is and how large the players are compared in person.
Side Notes:
*Max Talbot (and a not pictured Antonio Brown) were a section over from us and down several rows.
**Iceburgh, the Penguins mascot, had a tendency to slide head first down the railings of each section.
***The View From My Seat.
****Julie and I had a great time, we got our free t-shirts and a victory.
***** Previous Stanley Cup Finals: 2013 – Game Two, 2010 – Game Five, 2010 – Game One, 2009 – Game One, 2008 – Game Two, and 2008 – Game One.
Mid Ice Crisis finally scored a medal this year in the CAN/AM Tournament in Toronto. We managed a record of 1-2-1 which was good enough in a four team tournament to put us into the Bronze Medal Game, where we won 9-2, against the Angry Dragons from Buffalo. We ended up playing four games in two days (1 Friday, 2 Saturday, 1 Sunday) with the Medal game on Sunday morning at 9am. We were a couple men down and considering the early start time it was an amazing turn of events to win. Also, we had previously lost to our opponent. Maple Leaf Gardens 
Throughout the tournament we played at multiple facilities but our first two games were at the old Maple Leaf Gardens which is now the Mattamy Athletic Centre at the Gardens at Toronto’s Ryerson University. The setup is basically a recreational facility with the original facade of the Maple Leaf Gardens as well as the top of the area where the ice rink is situated. Probably the highlight of the trip outside of the Medal was being able to play at this venue.
Left Field Brewing
While in Toronto I hit up Left Field Brewing in the East York neighborhood. The brewery was baseball themed and had MLB Network playing on the couple TVs. All of their beers are baseball related. A really nice small brewery. I enjoyed their Wrigley Oat Pale Ale, a great light beer. I probably could have spent the rest of the day there.
Side Notes:
*We flew Porter Airlines into Billy Bishop Airport in Toronto. Porter is run like I imagine an airline was run 35 years ago. Glassware, stewardesses, propeller plane. 
** On my way to Midway the Uber vehicle blew a tire on the highway. I called Todd who had just passed me on the highway in his Uber and they were able to swing back around and pick me up. I like to think if Uber was regulated, a vehicle inspection would have noticed the complete bald tires.
*** Previous CAN/AM Tornaments: CAN/AM Montreal – 2015