Blues winning streak amps up Cape

The St. Louis Blues franchise will take home its first Stanley Cup on Sunday — if the victory can be blocked from the Boston Bruins. And that hockey-infused adrenaline has bladed its way down the interstate, fueling revelries in Southeast Missouri.

Danielle Wood, general manager at Wings Etc. at 3047 William St., Suite 105, said the restaurant’s serving staff of nearly 14 — and fully loaded kitchen staff — is ready for Sunday night’s crowd.

Along with a draft beer special, she said Wings will have a blue frozen drink on the menu, named Gloria, after Laura Branigan’s song, which has been used as the team’s postgame victory song.

Wood said the establishment is expected to be at capacity between 6:15 and 6:30 p.m. Sunday, with Game 6 of the finals beginning at 7 p.m.

“It was about 7 p.m. last night, which was a little bit earlier than it has been the last couple games,” she said, adding it was standing-room only when the puck dropped.

The venue offers 23 TVs with surround sound, she said, and all will be showing the game.

“We will definitely have our beer died blue, for the Blues, on Sunday,” Wood said. “People definitely enjoy that kind of stuff.”

Along with expecting a “sea of blue” during the game Sunday, she said the Wings Etc. in Jackson also will be at capacity.

Holly Gordon, assistant general manager at Buffalo Wild Wings at 211 Siemers Drive in Cape Girardeau said the restaurant has three projectors, five TVs on the outdoor patio and 64 regular-sized TVs.

She expects near capacity — 390 — during game time Sunday, adding it was “incredibly crazy busy, standing-room only” during the Blues game Thursday night and also during the game June 1.

“We’ve got a lot going on, a lot of open space for people to see,” Gordon said. “The way this building’s set up, it’s a lot more open, so there’s no place you can really miss the game.”

Dogwood Social House owner Andy Patel said he also is expecting a big crowd Sunday.

Twelve servers, four hosts, four bartenders, five managers and eight kitchen staff will be ready by 5:30 p.m. for a pregame party, with giveaways, according to Patel.

He said a special cake in honor of the Blues will be cut at 6:45 p.m. and a postgame after party will continue, featuring a live DJ.

The 35,000-square-feet venue at 80 S. Plaza Way houses eight 128-inch screens, seven 85-inch TVs and the “largest screen in Missouri” at 10-feet-by-44-feet, he said.

Jeremy Boyer, St. Louis Blues organist from Kimmswick, Missouri, performs “Gloria” after winning games.

He told the Southeast Missourian on Thursday he is feeling “anxiety, extreme optimism, you name it” regarding the game Sunday.

“It will be a long day,” Boyer said, “and while I’m so excited for it, I will be extremely anxious until the final horn, which hopefully results in the Blues winning their first Stanley Cup in franchise history!”

Boyer added he will stay mostly composed while performing, but on the inside, he said, “I’ll be a wreck.”

Born and raised in Minnesota, former Cape Girardeau Mayor Jay Knudtson has connected with hockey for several years. After college, he refereed hockey professionally in the United States Hockey League, the International Hockey League and the American Hockey League.

“So what’s happening now is just super exciting,” he said. “I love hockey, and I’ve got hockey pictures all over my office.”

Hockey, he said, “is the greatest sport there is.”

But the thing he’s been most excited about is “bringing the game to people that otherwise weren’t fans.”

“People now are buzzing about it, people are talking about it, that otherwise had never watched a hockey game,” Knudtson said.

Knudtson said he believes this weekend will “change the face of hockey in the Midwest and in Missouri forever.”

“And that’s what I am so excited about. It’s much bigger than being a big Blues fan and what it means for the Blues franchise,” he said.

Knudtson said his plans for Sunday are to watch the game at home, “all by myself” — with eyes glued to his TV.

Southeast Missourian reporter Jay Wolz contributed to this report.

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