One of my favorite parts of going to USC is getting to explore Los Angeles, including its many fun restaurants, shopping centers, concert venues and sports teams!
Last week I went to my first NHL game and got to see the LA Kings play at the Staples Center! The Staples Center is where the LA Lakers and the LA Kings play and is a part of LA Live which is also home to the ESPN Zone, Nokia Theatre, a Movie Theatre and a number of great restaurants!
LA Live and the Staples Center!
Although I’m a fan for of sports, I never grew up following hockey, and was lucky enough to go with Ryan who is a huge sports fan and taught me all the rules of the game. Since we went on a Wednesday, we both had class and meetings through the late afternoon/early evening before heading to LA Live which is only about 20 blocks north of campus, between USC and downtown LA. We picked up our tickets and had a quick dinner at Yardhouse which has great food and a really fun pre-sports game atmosphere.
We had great seats at the game and it was so much more fun then watching hockey on TV–you really get the full experience when you’re there in person! The action is just so much closer and in your face and we were close enough to the rink to feel the chill from the ice! The LA Kings were tied as the clock began to wind down, and everyone thought we were for sure heading into overtime. And then in the final second as time expired the Kings won with the game winning shot, with the puck crossing the goal line with only 0.3 seconds on the clock! I don’t think I’ll ever get the chance to watch such an exciting end to a hockey game!
view from our seats of the LA Kings game!
And thats what I love about going to school in LA–Ive been fortunate to see this Kings game, the Dodgers with my sorority for a Father-Daughter event, the Lakers in the first round of the playoffs two years ago, and the Gold Cup soccer finals at the Rose Bowl last summer!
