I attended my first live ice hockey game on my 22nd birthday. Previous to that, I had only ever seen it on TV. Watching the USA Women beat Canada in the gold medal match at the 2018 Pyeongchang Olympics on TV really got me in the mood.

My parents surprised me with tickets to see the Florida Panthers play against the New Jersey Devils. It was an exhilarating experience, further proving that watching sports on TV cannot hold a candle to watching them live. I’m not an avid watcher of sports, but I do love the thrill of it.

I wolfed down a burger, enjoyed a beer and immersed myself in the experience– pretty spectacular way to spend a birthday, huh?

I must say, there was never a dull moment in the game; ice hockey has a way of keeping everyone engaged – could be due to all the constant action and fighting – right when the game started, we witnessed two players go at it and no one really seemed to stop them.

Thankfully, the winning streak continued for the Florida Panthers on my birthday. They beat the New Jersey Devils 3-2, their 4th straight win.

This will definitely not be my last Florida Panthers game!