New York Rangers fans are experiencing sticker shock at the sky-high prices for tickets to the Stanley Cup Finals at Madison Square Garden. According to SeatGeek, the cheapest seats for Game 3 on Monday, June 9 start at $1,087 (as of June 2). That’s $2,174 for a pair of tickets. 

Travis Hughes, editor of hockey coverage on SB Nation, has created a less expensive alternative: book a flight, stay in a local hotel, and get two tickets to see Game 1 at STAPLES Center in Downtown L.A. for $2,083.

STEP 1: BUY TICKETS

Photo courtesy of STAPLES Center/Bernstein Associates

Hughes checked Game 1 ticket prices on SeatGeek, which found seats at STAPLES Center starting at $335 each on June 3.

STEP 2: BOOK A FLIGHT

Theme Building | Photo courtesy of howard-f, Flickr

Next, Hughes found a US Airways flight from the New York area to LAX for $490 round trip, with one stop in Charlotte, N.C.

STEP 3: FIND A HOTEL

Photo courtesy of Crowne Plaza Los Angeles International Airport, Facebook

Finally, Hughes found a room at a four-star hotel, the Crowne Plaza Los Angeles International Airport, for $113 a night on Wednesday. To view other affordable hotels near STAPLES Center in Downtown L.A., click here.

Travis Hughes is the founder and editor of Broad Street Hockey, the manager of SB Nation's 30+ hockey blogs, and the editor of hockey coverage at SBNation.com. Read his complete guide on how two Rangers fans can watch Game 1 of the Stanley Cup Finals in L.A. for less than a pair of tickets to Game 3 in New York. Read More →