New Jersey Devils Fan Spotlight: Amanda From Brick

The New Jersey Devils have some of the most dedicated and passionate fans in sports. Many fans live and die with how the team is doing. Sometimes, when things are going extra bad like this season, that passion boils over to booing. Regardless of the outcomes, Devils fans stand by their team and will support them no matter what. What better way to recognize these great fans than by doing a weekly article highlighting them?

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This is why we at Pucks and Pitchforks have started this segment called Fan Spotlight. Last week, we met Jamie from Monroe and heard what she had to say about the team we all love. Today we’re spotlighting Amanda Eldracher who lives in Brick, New Jersey – where former New Jersey Devils forward Jim Dowd also hails from. Amanda is 20 years old and seems to attend almost every home game she possibly can even though she does not have season tickets. In addition to the Devils, she is also a big New York Yankees and Philadelphia Eagles fan. One cool thing to know is that she has a twin sister!

Let’s take a look at what Amanda has to say about Jersey’s Team:

1) What made you become a Devils’ fan?

I became a Devils fan around 5-6 years ago when a friend of mine took me to a game against the Islanders. Ever since then, I’ve been hooked and have become a diehard Devils fan. No one in my family was a hockey fan at the time, so I wasn’t a fan before then. I took my mom to her first game last season on my birthday since she was always reluctant to attend a hockey game. Needless to say, she now watches every game and has attended numerous games since!

2) What are your thoughts on the season so far?

The first two months of this season haven’t a been very kind to the Devils injury-wise. There are some sparks of excellence on this team, but most of the team has been sub-par. From the coaching to some veteran players, I think some major changes need to be made in order for the Devils to get back into the heat of the playoff race. If not, this team and the fans can look forward to a top five pick at the draft next summer.

3) Who is your favorite current Devil? Favorite former Devil? Why?

My favorite Devil on the 2014-2015 squad would have to be a toss-up between Adam Henrique and Cory Schneider. Henrique won the hearts of Devils fans in 2012 and continues to be a big presence on the ice. Cory hasn’t been playing at the level we all know he is capable of so far this season, but the team in front of him has been a huge part of the reason why he’s been letting more pucks in. He’s a great goalie and wants to win more than any other player on the ice.

As far as former Devils, my favorite would have to be Martin Brodeur. I know that’s a cliche answer, but he was a monumental part of all three Cup-winning Devils squads and brought so much joy to this fanbase.

Amanda, on the right, and her twin sister meet former Devil Damien Brunner.

4) What’s your favorite part of attending Devils games? If you haven’t been able to make it out to any games, do you have any plans of doing so in the future? What are you looking forward to?

So far this season, I’ve been to eight of the Devils’ 11 home games. My favorite part of going to the Rock to cheer on my team is the excitement of the crowd after a goal. There’s nothing better than to be surrounded by thousands of other fans celebrating their team. There hasn’t been much to cheer about this season, but hopefully that changes soon. I believe that no matter how good or bad your team is performing, you should continue to go to games and show your support. If you can’t suffer with your team during the bad times, why should you be there during the good.

5) What’s the most memorable game you’ve ever been at, or remember watching on television?

The most memorable game that I have ever watched was Game 6 of the 2012 Eastern Conference Finals. I was at a Buffalo Wild Wings with a few of my friends who were Rangers fans, and there was nothing sweeter than when Henrique swept that puck into the net to send the Devils to the Finals. A close runner up to Game 6 for me was Game 1 of the Stanley Cup Finals that season. My brother bought my sister and I tickets as a graduation present and the atmosphere was out of this world. Even though we lost in overtime to the Kings, that was definitely an experience I will never forget.

We want to thank Amanda for her sharing her experiences and input. If you would like to be featured in an upcoming article, let us know on Twitter @PitchforkedPuck or on Facebook at Pucks and Pitchforks!

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