Because of the way the game went, I am destined to always remember it more than the arena itself. Columbus battled back from 4-2 down in the 3rd, to win it in regulation, 5-4. Nikolai Zherdev scored the game-winning goal on a slick toe-drag and snap shot, on the net less than 20 feet in front of my face. Afterwards Tyler Wright handed me his game stick as the team left the ice- it was incredible. Anyhow...

GM Place is the home of the Vancouver Canucks and former home of the (now Memphis) Grizzlies. It's a domed grey and black building, very modern, with plenty of glass, that fits nicely on the waterfront in one of the most beautiful cities in the world. The concourses, surprisingly narrow and congested for a building so new, incorporate just about every color under the sun. Grey and navy blue seem to be the chosen backdrops, but lighting fixtures, concession stands, even advertisements are surrounded by yellow, green, red and blue frames. The best advertisement was a display case with a 7-foot tall pyramid of Powerade bottles inside. One can only walk 3/4 of the way around the lower-level concourse, as a members-only club section takes up one straightaway. I find this to be nothing but a pain in the ass. The seating area at GM Place is glitzy and impressive- at the top of the upper deck behind each net there is a giant neon light ad for Molson Canadian beer. Also, the ceiling is mostly rafter-free to give the impression of a dome. The 8-sided scoreboard was one of the largest I've seen. All seats in GM Place are wine red.