We recently attended the Penguins vs Devils game and conducted a review of the experience of attending a hockey game at that Prudential Center in Newark.
As a die-hard Pittsburgh Penguins fan, I’ve set a pretty ambitious goal of attending a Penguins game in every NHL city. This past weekend brought me to the Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey to watch the Penguins play the New Jersey Devils. This game was a thrilling afternoon affair that resulted in a 2-1 shootout victory for the Devils.
This game marked my second trip to “The Rock”. I caught a game at the arena in 2015, a few years after the arena opened.
Now experiencing the venue for a 2nd time nearly a decade apart, I was curious to see if the experience changed or not. This review covers everything from the journey to Newark, parking challenges, in-arena experience, and the painful trip home.
Living in Western Suffolk County on Long Island, getting to Newark always runs the risk of being a challenge. I prefer to get to the rink early to catch warmups, I needed to leave with plenty of buffer time.
Google Maps and Waze both suggested a 9:25 AM departure for a 11:45AM arrival. That would equate to a near two and half hour drive for what should be an hour and fifteen minute trip.
The ride to the Cross Island Parkway and Throgs Neck Bridge surprised us as there was virtually no traffic. However, our luck ran out when we hit the Cross Bronx Expressway. As any Long Islander knows, there are three certainties in life: death, taxes, and traffic on the Cross Bronx.
This road is universally despised by New Yorkers. It’s the reasons why the Port Jefferson and Cross Sound Ferries exist. On this day, it lived up to its reputation, as we crawled at a snail’s pace until we reached the George Washington Bridge.
My 2015 trip left me with positive memories of the parking situation at The Rock. Back then, the surrounding lots were simple dirt parking areas, as construction was still in progress in the area. Finding a spot was pretty straightforward and hassle-free.
Fast forward to 2025, and the experience was much different. There isn’t much of a general parking lot at the Prudential Center. There are multiple private lots operating on the surrounding streets, creating a chaotic and confusing experience.
I was reminded the night before the game to secure a pre-paid sport at the 220 Mulberry Street parking lot which cost me about $34.
After driving past the arena on gameday and turning left on Lafayette we encountered a confusing scene. There were four different private lots with workers frantically waving flags trying to entice us to choose their parking lot.
Once we found 220 Mulberry, the parking issues continued. The lot was not spacious at all. The staff appeared overwhelmed or inattentive. We were directed to a parking spot so tight we could barely open the doors to exit the car.
We had to flag down another worker just to verify our pre-paid reservation. The whole process seemed so disorganized that we could have walked out without anyone noticing if we had paid or not.
The walk from the parking lot to the arena was quick. We moved past security very promptly and the ticket scanning was more of the same.
Our seats in Section 110, Row 5 required just an escalator ride, but afterwards we had to walk the length of the arena since our seats were on the complete opposite side of the main entrance.
We settled in our seats right as warmups began. Perfect timing.
The sightlines at the Prudential Center were definitely the arena’s strongest feature. Referring back to my 2025 visit from the upper bowl, the views were great. From our seats, one section lower than where we sat last time, we had an outstanding field of view.
However, the seats themselves were the cause of a little complaint. They felt very narrow, which makes it easy for larger sized guests to encroach on neighboring seats.
Additionally, the floor in our section was very sticky. There must have been an event the night before or poor cleaning between games. Our feet practically became one with the floor throughout the afternoon.
Among the three major New York metro area NHL teams, Devils fans are the most respectful and well behaved. Their passion for their team is genuine and infectious, which makes for excellent energy throughout the entire game. We received some good-natured chirps and heckling, but nothing crossed the line into obnoxious territory.
The highlight for me came after the shootout victory for the Devils. A passionate Devils fan seated behind us complimented us about the Penguins, saying they were a good team with a bright future ahead. This level of sportsmanship wouldn’t be normal at UBS Arena or Madison Square Garden. Forget even back in the day at Nassau Coliseum. It was a refreshing change of pace.
We purchased two hot dogs and two sodas for $35. While it still wasn’t cheap, it was way less expensive than comparable food at UBS Arena or MSG.
Still, concession prices will remain a challenge for families attending games at virtually any major arena in the region. Budget accordingly if you’re bringing the family.
We considered getting to the arena mildly frustrating. Leaving the arena was an absolute nightmare.
The tight parking setup at 220 Mulberry street made the exit process painfully slow. Combined with traffic from the other lots, street closures, one-way streets, and people crossing streets, it took us almost 45 minutes just to reach I-278, our first step toward the New Jersey Turnpike.
Once we got on the Turnpike, we hit heavy traffic near the Meadowlands Sport Complex. The congestion followed us all the way to the George Washington Bridge and as expected, spilled over into the Cross Bronx Expressway. Our total return trip was nearly three to four hours long.
For an arena that is one of the closest NHL arenas to Long Island, this travel time is deeply annoying. The traffic makes the Devils a less attractive option despite being a competitive team and the quality of their arena itself.
The Prudential Center delivers in the in-game experience category. The sightlines are excellent and the atmosphere is great. Both are worth the price of admission.
At nearly 15 years old, the arena has aged well and maintains a modern feel. The Devils fans bring life to create an energetic, respectful experience that truly separates what you see at other area arenas.
The parking situation is abysmal and needs work. It’s disorganized, cramped, and frustrating to deal with from start to finish.
The traffic getting to and from Newark from Long Island creates an exhausting ordeal out of a trip that should be somewhat reasonable.
These issues have nothing to do with the arena itself and everything to do with poor urban planning and the notoriously bad New York to New Jersey highway system.
Your best bet to salvage your sanity would be taking the NJ transit or perhaps staying overnight around Newark. The Prudential Center is a fantastic NHL experience.
But the reality of dealing with parking and traffic makes it a tough sell for Long Islanders or really anyone driving to the arena.
For me, the Prudential Center passes the test. Would I return? Absolutely.
