Karl Says: "22 March 1996. This was the last Aud game -- Canadiens vs. Buffalo -- that I took in from the pressbox, the famous "gondola". As you'll recall, it ran the entire length of the Pearl Street (west) side of the arena, wrapping around a bit at the ends, where, especially, you got the feeling you were hanging right over the ice. I'm guessing that's a Montreal broadcaster just barely visible near the middle of press row, since it's been a few years since either Jeanneret or Lorentz had dark hair. You can also see the steel mesh catch-all running all along the front edge of the gondola, which prevented the scribes' pens, pretzels, paperwork, and pop cans from falling onto fans below.
"The first shot also gives one a glimpse of those weird acoustic-damping cylinders that hung from the ceiling. It also affords a nice idea of the steep pitch of the seats."