"These Red Wings fans aren't the kind of people who bring octopus strapped to their legs, " he said.

WSJ: Fans of Hockey Rivals Face Off on a Bus Trip

"When you have a goose that lays golden eggs, you clip its wings and don't let it leave the farm, " he wrote in one filing.

NPR: RI Records: Relatives Worried About Catholic Widow

Still, with Passbook waiting in the wings, the patent can't help but fuel speculation that Apple is getting more serious about an iPhone with near-field wireless in the future.

ENGADGET: Apple nabs patent for NFC-based travel check-in, doesn't quell NFC iPhone rumors just yet