Dude, Cali may be great for many things, but if you want Hockey.. do the Bruins. There's very few things as fast paced as professional hockey game. Via FOAF, I sometimes get invited to fill a seat at the Garden, only a few rows up, right on the blue line. I'm not even really that big a sports fan, but you can't help but get a little amped when there's full-on brawls going on right in front of you, and you get to see what a guy's face looks like hitting glass at a hundred miles an hour, without having to run down a pedestrian and the hassle that brings on.
The Bruins aren't just a great team, the fans are a bit fanatical in their love of the team, but not in a soccer hooligan way, but in a "well of course we're gonna win, cuz God likes us, ain't that right, Patrick?" , eyes go misty at mention of Bobby Orr kinda way... One thing about Boston, the sports fans here are a dedicated and passionate majority.. Call someone's mom horrible names, it might pass. Badmouth the Red Sox in certain circles... they'll never find your body.