Issue link: http://digital.canadawide.com/i/593532
36 G O I N G P L A C E S | W I N T E R 2 0 1 5 mark blinch/the canadian press S potlights pan the skyscraper horizon as I hustle down York Street toward the Air Canada Centre (ACC), my breath coming in excited white bursts. I'm heading to a National Hockey League game in Toronto on a cold Saturday night in January. As a visitor to the largest city in Canada, this is the centrepiece of my great hockey getaway. In a bustling underpass, I stride by a long- haired dude with an electric guitar. He sports former Maple Leafs star Phil Kessel's jersey while shredding through "Tom Sawyer," the signature anthem of Toronto's greatest hard rock heroes, Rush. My adrenalin surges. The Ontario capital, home to six million (mostly) hockey-crazed residents, is fired up for a classic showdown with its Quebec It's game time in Toronto, where a passion for pucks extends well beyond the ice BY LUCAS AYKROYD GREAT GREAT HOCKEY GREAT GREAT THE HOCKEY HOCKEY Getaway archrival, the Montreal Canadiens. I enter the ACC beneath a glowing red marquee and navigate the crowded concourse beneath huge Canadian flags. In the minutes before the opening faceoff, fathers joyfully battle sons in games of bubble hockey in the fan zone. Fans in both Leafs and Canadiens colours pore over autographed, framed photos of their idols for sale at the Real Sports Auction. The mouth-watering aromas of pizza, nachos and hot dogs waft from some 50 concession stands. I locate my seat high in the stadium, banners honouring former Leafs greats like Bör je Salming and Tim Horton looming before me. But my eyes return to the rink. e capacity crowd of nearly 20,000 roars as today's stars skate out. A f t e r C h r i s H a d f i e l d , t h e f o r m e r commander of the International Space Station, sings a vibrato-drenched "O Canada," it's time to get this thrilling experience underway. But hold on. If hockey is Canada's favou- rite sport, then hating Toronto surely ranks as number two. If you're not cheering for the Leafs to win their first Stanley Cup since 1967, you're probably griping about how the eastern media depicts Toronto as the Centre of the Universe. However, regardless of where you live or which NHL team you support, there's no denying that this diverse metropolis is the perfect place for hockey-themed tourism – from dining and entertainment to shopping and attractions.