Sports
Rabid Red Wings Fans Can Head to Hamlin Pub's Viewing Parties
If you are a huge Red Wings fan and want to share some of your excitement without actually going to the game, join the Hamlin Pub Red Wings viewing party. The next one is on Wednesday.
There’s a certain magic in the air this time of year around Detroit and it’s all centered on the Detroit Red Wings. Facing a whiteout in Phoenix, the Red Wings again won and hold a commanding 3-0 lead in their best-of-seven, first-round series in the NHL playoffs. Back at home, the fans who love them so much had a whiteout of their own at .
Hamlin is home to a Red Wings viewing party, something that they’ve been doing for the past three years. Throughout the game, the nearly 200 fans at the viewing party were able to compete in a goalie dress-up contest, enter raffles and play games to earn other prizes.
Longtime Wings fans Ian Erving and Jerry Fairbrother won the dress-up contest, earning them a hockey puck.
“I had to put on goalie pads blindfolded and Jerry (Fairbrother) helped me, even though I got accused for cheating. …I’ve been a Wings fan since 1997, won the cup that year,” Erving said. “I remember being young and staying up late watching the games, and ever since then I’ve loved them.”
Erving remains confident that Detroit can make it to the finals, now that the opening round is all but over. His biggest concern is the same as many of the Wings’ faithful: goalie Jimmy Howard.
“He (Howard) is the key to making it to the finals. We’ll score, no problem. It’s all about goaltending,” Irving added.
The 27-year-old Howard received the first star for Game 3 thanks to his 0.933 save percentage.
Fairbrother, a lacrosse player at Wayne State University, said that the city of Detroit needs the Stanley Cup again.
“The last time we had to really celebrate anything was when the Tigers made the run to the World Series,” Fairbrother said. “This will really help brighten Detroit. God knows when the Pistons or Lions will win a championship.”
This visit to the playoffs is the teams' 20th in a row, which is the longest active streak among major sports teams. The San Antonio Spurs trail by six. In the span of 20 years, the Wings have won four Stanley Cups, six Western Conference Titles, 146 playoff games, 31 playoff series and 938 games. Not to mention the more than 18 million fans that passed through the gates at Joe Louis Arena.
“They’re a dynasty,” Fairbrother said. “I love everything about them. The atmosphere, the people and how we all can relate to hockey. This brings everyone together.”
Fairbrother’s favorite player, Pavel Datsyuk, didn’t record a point for the first time all series; however, he still leads the team in points.
“The stuff he (Datsyuk) can do is amazing,” Fairbrother added.
If you don’t believe him, just search for Datsyuk on YouTube and try not to let your jaw hit the floor.
In most other parts of the country, if you ask someone what their favorite sport is, you will most likely be greeted with the big three: football, baseball or basketball. To Hamlin Pub employee Don Moore Jr., hockey isn’t in the same league.
“This is the best sport around. It’s more fast-paced than anything else. If you start a fight in another sport you’re out for the game; in hockey you’re out for five minutes,” Moore said.
If you would like to get in on the excitement, Hamlin Pub will host another viewing party as the Wings take to the ice again on Wednesday.
