This is the second of the back to back games between the Green Bay Gamblers and the Madison Capitols of the NAHL.  If you missed the first part of the series, it’s here.

The Green Bay Gamblers have, oddly enough, been on my list of teams to see for a while.  Why?  I have no idea.  It’s just always been a team that has stuck in the back of my mind ever since I heard of them.

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Is it just me or does this look like the habitat the Mars One people would love to live in?  If the Madison Capitols arena looked like an old Funkadelic space ship, this looks like one Bruno Mars would tour with.  Very sci-fi.

Safety first.

Frankly, I would like to see more moshing and crowd surfing at hockey games.  Mostly in the beer garden areas, but that’s just me.

The inside is a lot like an older Boston University arena.  It’s steep, the seats are a similar color, and… and…. let’s just forget I said anything.

Let’s take a look at those seats for a moment.

Yeah, they are kind of weird, and yet they are super utilitarian, and not uncomfortable.  Note that I did not say they were comfortable.  But they get out of the way when you need them to, and are roomier than you expect.

The name Resch Center comes from Dick Resch, the CEO of KI, an office furniture company.  You can see a picture of Mr. Resch here, as well as read a lot of corporate speak and history about the company. Those seats, I was told by an usher, were made by KI.  They also have a showroom at the arena.  So now you know.

The concourses are rather wide, and we never had to fight the crowds (and there were crowds later).

I’m not entirely sure what the mascot is.  A gambler?  That is paying off his debts?

Like the Madison arena, the Resch Center has a beer garden on the end of the rink.

As far as beer goes, they have a lot of it, for this is Wisconsin, and it is a good deal for arena beer.

But we have not come to talk about hops, we have come to talk about hockey.  First, we have warmups and a little sizing up to be done.

Ohhh… Scary….

Action!

Nice toe save.

Second period action. Another nice save.

And back at the other end, a good glove save.

What the heck is going on here?

More action.

Hey goalie, you suck.  Or at least the crowd thinks you do, and would like for you to know it.

Nice.

Second intermission featured the main staple of chuck-a-puck, which WE WON!!! Well, us and about forty of our closest friends.  We won a free sandwich from Dickey’s Barbecue Pit… with the purchase of a drink.  I feel like a winner.

Third period action.

Another save.

The third period solved nothing, so we went to overtime.

Nope! For the second night in a row, we went to the shootout.

Nope!

Nope!

Nope!

YEP!!!

The final, the Madison Capitols win 4-3 over the Green Bay Gamblers in the shootout.  They win both games of the home and home in the shootout.  Here is the game sheet.

A few tips about going to Green Bay for a game.

• Go when the Green Bay Packers are not in town.  The arena is right next to Lambeau Field, and game days must be crazy.  I hope the league schedules road games for the Gamblers on those weekends.
• If you are going to eat at Brett Farve’s Steakhouse as a lark, understand that it is an expensive lark.  Also, it isn’t worth it.  We saw a few guys in their hunter’s camo and jeans sit down for dinner, look at the prices, and promptly walk out.  Also, there are Brett Farve name wines on the menu.  We decided against them.

We had a good time, but what we were really looking forward to was the next night, headed to Sault St. Marie, MI for a game.

Soon.  Soon.