Get NHL Playoff tickets here at SeatGeek.com, the best ticket search engine. 
It's that time of year again, where even the passive hockey fans let themselves get caught up in the excitement that is the NHL Playoffs, when Stanley Cup ticket prices skyrocket. The banging on the glass, the fights. There is just something special about the NHL. It still has a sense of being pure and true to its fans. No fines for celebrations. No villanizing it's flamboyant stars. If you watch hockey, you might see someone get punched in the face. You might see some blood. The NHL is like the honey badger, it doesn't give a damn.
SeatGeek's ticket search engine, gives us unprecedented data around ticket prices and we wanted to share it with you all so you can make the most informed decision possible on Stanley Cup tickets - and yes even learn a tip about saving $1,000 by shifting over one section in your ticket search.
1. Avg. Stanley Cup Ticket Prices Overview
With the Canucks taking game one, we took a fresh look at ticket prices. This time we focused on listing prices and "get in" prices (i.e. the cheapest way to get into the arena) rather than just Stanley Cup ticket sales. You can see that the admission prices for these NHL finals are extremely high even for 300 and 400 levels.
UPDATED as of 6/2/2011
| Game | Venue | Avg. List Price | Lowest Price | Cheapest Section |
| Game 2 | Rogers Arena | $2,337 | $802 | 327 |
| Game 3 | Boston - TD Garden | $1,126 | $495 | 321 |
| Game 4 | Boston - TD Garden | $1,367 | $572 | 308 |
| Game 5 | Rogers Arena | $3,698 | $1124 | 418 |
| Game 6 | Boston - TD Garden | $2,231 | $696 | 308 |
| Game 7 | Rogers Arena | $4,559 | $1653 | 330 |
OLD (as of 5/26/2011)
| Date | Avg. Price |
| Stanley Cup Game 1: 5/31/2011 | $559.31 |
| Stanley Cup Game 2: 6/2/2011 | $547.25 |
| Stanley Cup Game 3: 6/4/2011 | $671.73 |
| Stanley Cup Game 4: 6/8/2011 | $1,201.93 |
- Overall average Stanley Cup ticket prices for the first 4 games is $707.75
- This is in-line with the strong NHL finals demand we saw last year when the NHL Playoffs were commanding higher prices than the NBA Playoffs, and will only increase if Game 5, 6 and 7 occur (Prices have risen since earlier in the playoffs)
- There is a significant rise of prices for the expected Vancouver Canucks home games (They love hockey up in Canada common knowledge, but quantified in that link - also check out prices by location here)
- See how the Bruins falling 2-0 in the series affected ticket prices for Game 3.
- How the Bruins' big 8-1 victory affected ticket prices for Game 4.
- A look at ticket prices for Game 7 of the finals.
2. Stanley Cup Ticket Costs - Tips for Reducing Your Spend
- Much like we see with MLB games following opening day, there is a initial drop off after the excitement of game 1, and before the allure of seeing a team close out the championship
- If you want to cut costs on your Stanley Cup tickets, look to buy tickets for Game 2
Read more about NHL Playoff ticket prices
3. Where to Sit at The Stanley Cup to Get the Best Ticket Deals
Vancouver Canucks Stanley Cup Seating Chart (potential game 1)
- The deals on this map are a lot more evident (remember big and green is good!) - With this map you can scan at the section level
- For the 100 level section, Sections 107 and 118 have the best deals
- In fact, you can save over $1,000 by purchasing in section 118 instead of the adjacent section 117
- If you are looking for 300 Level seats, the cheapest Section 330 tickets is on average $300 cheaper than the best deal in the two adjacent sections.
Boston Bruins Stanley Cup Seating Chart (potential game 1)
- There are no clear standouts by section
- Best advice here is to zoom in and look at the row level, where you will start to notice huge differences from row to row
Are you going to the NHL Finals? Want more buying tips? Get in touch with us on Twitter @SeatGeek.
Image via Flickr user clydeorama
