Flyers fans flocked to Fenway

BOSTON - Though they were clearly outnumbered, Flyers fans did their best to turn the site of yesterday's Winter Classic into Phenway Park.

Philly-area fans invaded Boston the last few days. They were in bars. In restaurants. In hotels.

And, of course, at historic Fenway Park, which hosted yesterday's Winter Classic between the Flyers and Boston Bruins. The fans turned Boston into Philly North with their orange jerseys, their Flyers chants, their "Yo, Happy New Year's" greetings.

The Flyers were given 5,000 tickets to sell to season-ticket holders. All went quickly. A few thousand additional fans bought tickets from other outlets.

Erin Dodds and Jessica Baver, both from Marlton, N.J., said they bought "nosebleed" tickets for $300 each from StubHub.

"It was a lot of money, but it was worth it," said Dodds, 24, a waitress who wore a Rick Tocchet jersey.

The two young women were part of a huge group of Flyers fans who arrived in Boston on Amtrak, about 10 minutes after midnight yesterday.

"We had our own little Flyers car," said Baver, 22. "We drank in the New Year together. Philly loves their teams, and we do it right."

The crowd, which alternated "Let's go, Flyers!" and "Let's go, Bruins!" chants throughout Boston's thrilling 2-1 overtime win, included two Drexel students who rode a two-seat bicycle from Philadelphia to Boston, getting donations and raising money for a charity.

Patrick Montgomery and Andrew Moriarity, both 23, made the journey and arrived in Boston on Thursday night after stopping in Staten Island, N.Y., twice in Connecticut, and once in Warwick, R.I. They rode for a local charity - the Blessed Sarnelli Community - for poor and abandoned people in Philadelphia. They said that they raised more than $2,100 and that donations could be made at broadstreetbikers.webs.com.

The two prepared for their 325-mile journey by riding exercise bikes in Drexel's gym. "But it's much different than being outside with hills, the wind and the weather," Montgomery said after yesterday's first period.

Adam Murray, 26, an investment banker from Center City, came to the game with three friends - his girlfriend, Kirsten Bostrom, formerly of Schwenksville, Pa.; and Drew Evans and Caitlin McKenna, both from Philadelphia.

"I've never been to Fenway for a baseball game," said Murray, a season-ticket holder who wore a Jeff Carter jersey, "and I never thought I'd be here for hockey."

Lou Stomel, 23, attended the game with three friends. All four are from Cherry Hill.

"My buddy and I grew up playing hockey and wanted to take our girlfriends here," he said. "I couldn't think of a better vacation."

Stomel wore a Dan Carcillo jersey - he said he liked the Flyer winger's feisty "old-time" style of play - and said he played hockey at Rutgers in New Brunswick.

"I'm going to cry when I go out there and see the field," he said as he entered the ancient stadium.

Chris Parker, a Doylestown resident, took a train to Boston - "the last three cars were filled with all Flyers fans," he said - and attended the game with a large group of friends and relatives.

Parker attended with his cousin, Charlie Palasek, who used to live in Doylestown but now resides in Weymouth, Mass. - Bruins territory.

Palasek wore a Flyers cap.

Parker, 32, and a Flyers season-ticket holder for 22 years, said he had traveled to 64 countries because of his insurance job.

But being at Fenway yesterday was at the top of his travel list.

"Nothing better," he said. "I'm here with 10 buddies, and we're just speechless to be here."

"I've been here a bazillion times for baseball," Palasek said, "but to be here for hockey is a once-in-a-lifetime thing."