The story of one fan’s octopus throwing experience at a Red Wings game

By Michael Caples –

Just before the puck dropped on the third period of the Red Wings vs. Bruins game, an octopus rained down from the stands of Joe Louis Arena.

The fan behind the latest rendition of Hockeytown’s most storied game-day tradition?

Nineteen-year-old Katie Sochiacki (@KatieFedorov on Twitter).

The Garden City native had been in possession of the Wings’ sea-going unofficial mascot since last spring, and at the urging of her friends, decided it was time to send it over the glass at The Joe for the first ‘octopus landing’ of the 2013-14 season.

“I’ve had the octopus for over a year in a freezer, because I was going to do it at last year’s playoffs, but I got a little nervous,” Sochiacki said. “My friends were saying you won’t do it, you won’t do it, so I said alright, I’ll do it.”

To bring it inside the confines of Joe Louis Arena, Sochiacki wrapped the octopus around her body and wore it underneath her Red Wings clothes.

“I wrapped it around my stomach in the parking garage, had to sneak it in very carefully,” she said. “Bad idea, but it worked. I kind of showed it off a little bit too, in the Joe, and I almost got caught doing that.”

Yet one flaw in her plan was her failure to properly cook the octopus before taking it to Hockeytown. Unofficial octopus tossing procedures state that one must boil the octopus, both to remove the unpleasant stench and keep it from leaving residue on the ice after launching.

“I was supposed to, but I didn’t,” Sochiacki said. “I almost got fined $700 because I didn’t and it ruined the ice a little bit.”

It made for a smelly first two periods of play, too.

“Oh yeah, people that were sitting in my section were like, ‘What’s that smell?!’ It was bad. My house still smells like it, too. It was bad.”

The actual octopus toss didn’t go so smoothly at first, either.

“Before I threw it, actually – I feel so bad about it – it slipped out of my hands, and the guy sitting second row, it splatted all over the back of his head and back of his jersey,” Sochiacki said. “So I had grab it, back up, throw it again, and run away. I didn’t even get to apologize. He got covered in it, it was gross. Some girl got some on her face, too.”

Sochiacki managed to get the octopus over the glass, however, sending the Joe Louis Arena crowd into a frenzy. It was a treat for special guests that were in the Zamboni pit, as well, as Justin Verlander’s mother had her picture taken with the octopus after it was removed from the ice.

 

The 19-year-old Sochiacki said she felt like she was “on the top of the world” after taking part in the Hockeytown tradition. She missed the end of the game, however, as she was detained by security shortly after throwing the squid.

“Someone told me before about the whole jersey change thing, you change your jersey and you’re good to go because they can’t find you, but they were so quick about it, I think they knew it was going to happen – they knew my little plan.

“My friend’s giving me a victory hug, has me lifted over his head, and all of a sudden the security guard pulls me down, wrestles me to the ground. Honestly, I was terrified. It was like ‘Oh my’, I didn’t know I could get in that much trouble. They take it pretty serious. Security was no joke, that’s for sure.”

Sochiacki said that security took down her information and took a mug shot of her while she was detained. If she ever attempts to throw another octopus at Joe Louis Arena, she won’t be allowed back for any more Red Wings.

But it was an experience she won’t soon forget.

“Honestly, if I could do it again, I would do it every game,” Sochiacki said. “The feeling of 20,000 people just cheering for you as you run away, running for your life, it’s amazing. I loved it.”

You can see Instagram footage of the octopus throw by clicking this link.

And, for the record, the Red Wings did score twice after the octopus landing to pick up a 3-2 win over the Bruins…