After lunch I was wandering aimlessly around the hotel, and I happened to meet a random stranger. He started talking and I started chatting with him. He was complaining that he's going to have the most boring 7 hours, packing candy for tomorrows hockey match. I pricked my ears, "what hockey match?", I asked. He told me that the blue jackets were playing, so I asked if tickets would still be available today, just 1 day before the match. He made a quick phone call to check for me, and confirmed that tickets were still available. While he was walking with me to show me where the ticket office was, I asked who they were playing. They were playing the NY Rangers! How cool is that!

The only other time I came to the States (also for a conference), I had got a ticket to see the NY rangers, even before getting to NY. That time I had a major screw-up with flights and missed the match. This time with the greatest serendipity possible, I got a ticket for tomorrows match between the Blue Jackets and the NY Rangers. Woooooohooo!!!