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In 2004, I did my study abroad in Prague. In 2004, there was a NHL Lockout. So all the Czech players were home (and a lot of Americans, and Canadians) playing in the Czech League. It was crazy good hockey. We went to a game a week probably. There were two teams in Prague, one played at the recently built hockey arena for the 2004 World Champs. The new arena was gorgeous. But the Sparta team was closer (1 tram ride) and they played in barn built in 1934 (something like that, it was ridiculous. If you got in the upper deck, you had rafters blocking your view).

But it was great hockey.

Anyways, Election Night. Jagr is playing at the fancy new arena (because of course he didn't play in Prague, he played for his dad who was still coaching Kladno). I had a friend who was interning at the US Embassy, and I had an invite to the fancy party there. Then that fell through. So Last Minute, we tram down to the stadium and walk up to the ticket booth. There are literally 3 seats left - $60 a pop (we were used to paying $10 a ticket, for GOOD seats). And where they were at, they won't sell just 2. So we bought all 3 (remember, poor college kids, abroad). We didn't even know where we were going to sit. We ended up 3rd row, behind the goal. There were 5 goals scored that game. All were in our goal.

JAGR WAS A GOD. When he took the ice for lineups, the crowd went nuts. When he touched the puck, the crowd went apeshit. HE WAS A VISITING PLAYER. When he scored a goal - nice wrister top glove side corner, it was the second loudest thing I ever heard. The loudest thing I ever heard was when he came back out after the game was over to thank the fans. Not one of those 20k people (who had squeezed into a 17k arena) had left. And every single one cheered so damn loud. I'd be shocked if he wasn't crying. Probably a quarter of the people in there were crying.

The entire exit out of the arena was nuts. 20k people singing the Czechia Anthem, singing hockey fight songs, shouting about the Russian (Czechs hate Russia).

Its my most fond memory of my study abroad. The Czechs are crazy about their hockey. And Jagr is the perfect personification of everything Czech and hockey. I hope he plays forever.

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