"It was unreal," Niederreiter said. "Obviously not the outcome I was hoping for, but it was a great game and we enjoyed it."
Ennis didn't have the rooting interest that Niederreiter had -- he wore a Vikings sweatshirt and hat to the game -- but said the game was a bucket list item checked off for him.
"For sure, and I think Minneapolis just did a great job leading up, everything," Ennis said. "There's just so much going on and the game, everything went smooth. It was just a great event."
Even for many of the players who didn't attend in person, they've seen the events and the pageantry up close as downtown Minneapolis residents.
"Driving has been a little tough, there's been so much going on," said Ennis, a downtown resident himself. "It just seemed like everything was well organized and lots to do. So many people coming in from around everywhere, I think Minneapolis did a great job."
Niederreiter lives so close he was able to walk to the stadium, avoiding the hassle of finding transportation.
The chilly weather may have expedited his journey, however.
"I was high-stepping," Niederreiter said.
Several other members of the team ventured to defenseman Ryan Suter's house for a watch party, while others chose to take in the game at their own homes.
Marcus Foligno, who was at Suter's house, was looking forward to the halftime show. A big Justin Timberlake fan, Foligno was glued to the television until a technical snafu cut the feed momentarily.
"It was the best. That was the best halftime show we saw," Foligno said. "We caught most of JT, but we missed the ending, so I'll have to YouTube it later."
