Play Gloria (one more time). #stlblues #StanleyCup pic.twitter.com/Mi4nyCFJPW
— St. Louis Blues (@StLouisBlues) October 3, 2019
The Blues raised their '19 Stanley Cup banner ahead of last night's season opener, a "night unlike any other in St. Louis sports history." The sellout crowd of 18,096 included NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman . With the Blues facing the '18 champion Capitals, the "Cup winners from the previous two years opened a season for the first time" since '62 ( ST. LOUIS POST-DISPATCH, 10/3 ). For the pregame ceremony, Blues players "gathered side by side near the Enterprise Center's north goal." Chair Tom Stillman "bit his lip on the bench, hoping his tears were hard to see" ( ST. LOUIS POST-DISPATCH, 10/3 ). According to VividSeats, the "average price of a Blues ticket on the secondary market was $286," up from $92 for the '18 opener ( ST. LOUIS POST-DISPATCH, 10/3 ).
Meanwhile, the Golden Knights drew a "regular season record crowd" of 18,588 to T-Mobile Arena for their home opener against the Sharks ( LVSPORTSBIZ.com, 10/2 ).
