I was pretty young. I was probably in third or fourth grade when I went to the Mellon Arena, then known as the Civic Arena, for the first time.
From that day on, I was in love.
The Mellon Arena is so old, decrepit and crammed that I can understand why the beautiful Consol Energy Center is being built across the street.
But to me, the Igloo will always be home.
Sure, you have to park a mile away and walk up or down a big hill just to get there. Once you are actually in the building, you have to file through the crowds that are standing shoulder-to-shoulder in the narrow concourses.
But once you walk through the tunnel to your seat, things change.
I remember walking into the Igloo for the first time and having my breath taken away. It was like nothing I had ever seen and I could not stop looking up.
The people sitting behind me probably thought I had a disorder of some sort. Oh well.
I could not even begin to tell you who the Penguins played that night or what the score was.
The seats are close together, and there is virtually no leg room at all. Some of the seats are behind giant support poles so that you cannot see any or most of the ice. There are many seats in which you cannot see the scoreboard as well.
Despite all of the bad features of the oldest arena in the NHL, there is just something special about going there.
When I initially heard of the plans for the new arena, I was ecstatic.
However, over the last couple of years I have started to realize that, for me, the Consol Energy Center will never be better than the Mellon Arena.
If you have ever been to the arena, you know about the crazy balconies that are the E and F sections of the arena, which were late additions to increase capacity.
In my opinion, that is the best place to watch a game.
The Mellon Arena is just a very intimate building, with the top seat in the F section being right on top of the ice, providing an amazing view for spectators.
Now, as nostalgic as I am about the old barn that sits at 66 Mario Lemieux Place, I do realize that it is time for a change and that all things must come to an end.
I have some great memories from that arena, though.
In sixth grade, I took a basketball team party trip in a limo to a Penguins-Capitals playoff game. We had box seats, and Mario Lemieux (while currently retired as a player) came to our box and signed autographs and took pictures with all of us. Sixth-grade Josh Rowntree probably thought this was just as cool as senior-in-college Josh Rowntree would today.
I also remember being there for a game in which there was an icing call at one end and our goalie had come to the bench because of a penalty. A player from the opposition shot the puck down the ice toward the empty net (with everyone fully knowing that it would not count if it went in). However, former Penguins defenseman Darius Kasparaitis jumped off the bench and threw his body in front of the puck before it went into the net, which brought on a standing ovation from the entire crowd.
Little moments like that are what I remember about the Mellon Arena. Those childhood memories were amazing, as well as my recent ones and the ones I am still making at the arena.
Last year, I got a ticket to game four of the Stanley Cup Finals and, even though I was by myself, literally had the time of my life as the Penguins tied up the series.
Last Friday, I went to game two against the Ottawa Senators. After we won, I sat in my seat for about half an hour, just remembering the great times that I had with my family and friends in that building.
Sure, there will be a ton of new memories and good times had at the Consol Energy Center, but nothing will replace a building that helped form my childhood and friendships.
So, I say “thank you,” Civic Arena. Thank you, Mellon Arena. Thank you, Igloo.
Thanks for the ride, I had a blast. We all did.