Follow your favourite NHL team abroad
The best places to grab a cold Canadian beer or snack
Making a trip down to the US to see your favourite NHL hockey team take the ice? Whether checking out the Canadiens, Senators, Maple Leafs, Flames, Oilers or Canucks on the road check out our insider’s guide with the best places to grab a cold Canadian beer or snack when in enemy territory over the border. Here, we profile places to pregame and postgame near the stadiums of the Eastern Division, but you can also check out our insider tips for where to go on the road for the Western Division.
Boston Bruins
TD BankNorth Garden - 100 Legends Way, Boston, MA
There is plenty of fanfare to be had at the TD Bank North Garden, home to many Bostonians’ pride and joy, The Boston Bruins. A rambunctious group with a ferocious passion that should be no stranger to Canadians, check out these ideas of spots to savour some tasty food and drink before taking on the evening.
Bars Near the TD Bank North Garden
Places to Grab a Canadian Snack in Boston
Eh? Did you say Poutine? Check out these restaurants to indulge in the Québec favourite before a game.
New York Rangers
Madison Square Garden - 2 Penn Plz # 15, New York, NY
Madison Square Garden is the home to the New York Rangers , practically an institution themselves, dating back to 1925, when they formally joined the NHL, and began playing at MSG. With such history and permanence on the NYC sports scene, be prepared for the frolic of a Rangers games to raise the roof of the Garden just as well, if not better than, one of the hundreds of rock concerts hosted there.
Bars Near Madison Square Garden
Places to Grab a Canadian Snack in NYC
NYC has experienced a recent resurgence of taste for Poutine – both by those eating it and making it! The flagship, however, is TPoutine, which is New York’s first and only Poutine restaurant.
Philadelphia Flyers
Wells Fargo Center – 3601 S. Broad St., Philadelphia,PA 19148
Having won the coveted Stanley up in 1973-1974 and 1974-1975, the Philadelphia Flyers loom as a formidable opponent to all. And, being the current, Eastern Conference Champions certainly only helps that reputation. Playing home games at the Wells Fargo Center, the Flyers take the ice several times a week through April, 2011.
Bars Near the Wells Fargo Center
Bars Serving Canadian Beer in Philadelphia, PA
Places to Grab a Canadian Snack in Philadelphia, PA
Buffalo Sabres
HSBC Arena - One Seymour H. Knox III Plaza, Buffalo, New York, 14203-3096
Although the Buffalo Sabres only joined the NHL in the 1970-1971 season, Buffalo has long been a hotbed for hockey, with the Buffalo Bisons as their team (the Bisons folded after the Sabres were created and accepted into the NHL). In September 2010, the Sabres announced they would adopt a third jersey that pays homage to the Bisons.
Bars near the HSBC Arena
Places to Grab a Canadian Snack in Buffalo, NY
Although Poutine is a little harder to come by in Buffalo than in NYC, these restaurants should be enough to tide you over until you get across the border!
*Poutine is on the menu seasonally.
Pittsburgh Penguins
CONSOL Energy Center 1001 Fifth Ave., Pittsburgh, PA 15219
Founded in 1967, the Pittsburgh Penguins have won three Stanley Cups (1990–91, 1991–92, and 2008–09), and qualified for four. They are owned by Mario Lemieux and Ron Burkle, with Mr. Lemieux being the driving force behind the newly opened CONSUL Energy Center, the creation of which insures Pittsburgh remains the Penguins’ permanent home.
Bars Near the CONSUL Energy Center
Places to Grab a Canadian Snack in Pittsburgh
- Primanti Bros.- Although it is unfortunately slim pickings for Poutine in Pittsburgh, Primanti Bros. offers something quite original in the same culinary neighbourhood. They take a classic hamburger and, in addition to all the traditional trimmings, they top it off with a pile of French fries and coleslaw on the burger!
New Jersey Devils
Prudential Center - 165 Mulberry St., Newark, NJ 07102
Originally founded in Kansas City, Missouri as the Kansas City Scouts in 1974, and then the Colorado Rockies in Denver, the New Jersey Devils finally settled in New Jersey in 1982. Although their early days in Jersey were somewhat of a mixed bag in terms of success, under current president and general manager, Lou Lamorielli, the Devils are doing tremendously. They have made the playoffs in 20 out of the last 22 seasons, including the last 13. The Devils are especially known for their incredible, defensive-oriented style of playing.
Bars Near the Prudential Center
Places to grab a Canadian Snack in Newark, NJ
Washington Capitals
Verizon Center, 601 F Street, NW, Washington, D.C. 20004
Owned since 1999 by former AOL executive, Ted Leonsis, the Washington Capitals were established in 1974. They reached the 1998 Stanley Cup Finals and, most recently, won the President’s Trophy for their 2009-2010 season. They are coached by Bruce Boudreau, who is a recipient of the NHL’s Jack Adams Award.
Bars Near the Verizon Center
Bars Serving Canadian Beer in Washington, D.C.
- Churchkey Logan Circle, D.C. (Solstice d’Hiver, Sainte Source IPA and Scotch Ale, Goldings Pale Ale by the bottle, Corps Mort and Corne de Brume on tap)
- RFD Washington Chinatown, D.C. (Molson Canadian by the bottle)
- The Black Squirrel Adams Morgan, D.C. (Unibroue and Dieu du Ciel by the bottle and occasionally Unibroue on tap)
Places to Grab a Canadian Snack in Washington, D.C.
- Eat Wonky Truxton Circle, D.C. (They also have a food truck that drives around) - A mobile eatery that goes everywhere, Eat Wonky holds tailgates before most Washington Capitals home games and poutine is the foundation of the menu. “We love it when we have Canadian customers! “
- Churchkey Logan Circle, D.C.
- The Black Squirrel Adams Morgan, D.C.
Atlanta Thrashers
Philips Arena – 1 Philips Dr., Atlanta, GA 30303
Named after Georgia’s state bird, the Brown Thrasher, the Atlanta Thrashers have been in existence since 1997. Prior to that year, Georgia had not had a hockey team since 1980, when the then Atlanta Flames departed for Calgary, Canada. The Thrashers have seen a great deal of success regionally and are climbing the ladder nationally. In the winter of 2010, they took first place in the southeast division, beating the New Jersey Devils 7-1.
Bars Near the Philips Arena
Bars Serving Canadian Beer
Places to Grab a Canadian Snack in Atlanta, GA
Carolina Hurricanes
RBC Center - 1400 Edwards Mill Road, Raleigh, NC 27607
The Carolina Hurricanes are the only professional sports team to play in Raleigh. The team was formed in 1971 in New England, but moved to North Carolina in 1997. Winning their first Stanley Cup in 2005-06, they will be hosting the NHL All-Star Game at the RBC Center in 2011.
Bars Near the RBC Center
Places to grab a Canadian Snack in Raleigh, NC
Even in Raleigh, NC, you can find Poutine!
Florida Panthers
Bank Atlantic Center - One Panther Parkway, Sunrise, FL 33323
Beginning life during the 1992-93 season when Blockbuster Video magnate, H. Wayne Huizenga, was awarded an NHL franchise for Miami, the Florida Panthers have enjoyed a successful career span for such a relatively young team. In 2009, the Panthers inaugurated their third jersey change.
Bars near the Bank Atlantic Center
Places to Grab a Canadian Snack in Sunrise, FL