Hockey is a fast sport, so the key to good watching is paying attention. While you're looking down to squeeze some mustard on your hot dog, your team may score a goal. Or give one up. Eat before or after the game, or between periods when the only action on the rink is the Zamboni resurfacing the ice or some puck-shooting contest for fans from the stands. Thumb through the program during stoppages of play. Chat with your neighbor during the time-outs. But when the official drops the puck and the players start skating, keep your eyes riveted on the ice.

There are so many subplots to a hockey game and different things to watch. You might follow the matchups on the ice, to see what skaters the coaches put out to play against each other. That's an important consideration in every game -- especially during the playoffs, when the stakes are highest. Who's checking Pavel Bure? Or Peter Forsberg? Or your 9-year-old son? Who does coach Scotty Bowman send onto the ice against Paul Kariya and Teemu Selanne? It's a chess game between the two clubs and great fun to watch.

These days, most seats in a hockey arena are good, but try to get a seat in one of the corners because you can see the entire rink from there. You should get down close to the ice, where you can really get a sense of the hitting, speed, and athleticism of the players. You don't get quite as good a view from that level of the ice (you can see more of the action unfold from a higher position), but you're right there during a game and can see how amazingly talented these people are.