Where oh where to watch the Playoffs?

So our beloved Maple Leafs haven't made it to the Stanley Cup Playoffs since 2004 and obviously no one's holding their breath since ‘67 when we last won the Cup.  But here we are, just a day away from the Playoffs and I ponder if I am among true Torontonians that pride themselves first on being Canadian and second on being Leaf fans?  After all, being Canadian means an obsession with hockey regardless of the colour of the jersey, right?  And since we have a Canadian team going to the Stanley Cup finals, let's wear our red and white sweaters proud! (Although Leaf and Canuck colours are actually pretty much the same...)

Accompanying Canadian passion for our ice sport comes all the great things that go along with it: beer, wings, nachos, nights out, cheering so loud you don't have a voice the next day, flags on our vehicles, team apparel wherever we watch the game.  I'm actually planning a girl's night next week and have been pondering "where are the hottest places in Toronto right now to watch the game?"  

Well, thanks to Toronto Life Magazine, narrowing down my girl's night destination for Game 3 just got a little easier.  In case you and your friends want to be in the heart of the action too, here are their top three suggested sports venues in the GTA (that actually happen to be sans the gross bar food and watered down drinks). First, check out The Suburban Stadium in Vaughn.  Close your eyes and go back in time to when you were a kid.  Now visualize Chuck E. Cheese only don't hold that thought for long because now picture it loaded with non-Disney games, TV-loaded walls and  pub food on steroids - does Playoff hockey get any better than that?  Well, if that's not your thing then aim for Interactive Fun House on John Street downtown where TV screens cover every square inch of available wall space.  Couple that with ten-pin bowling (if you're up for it) and that sort of Southern deep-fried food. Lastly, there's The Hockey Haven on York Street with a Times Square-sized high def screen above the bar. Who wouldn't want to watch Playoff hockey on that monster?

Go Canucks!