My First NHL Game
This will be my third season following the NHL so I decided to start it in style - actually getting to see an NHL game live. I went to Berlin to see the Buffulo Sabres take on the LA Kings. Although it was meant to be a Kings home game the crowd was very much supporting the Sabres (and with two German players and an Austrian that makes sense).
The most people I've seen at a hockey game before is about 1,000 so the sellout crowd (14,300) at the O2 World was pretty cool to see. Lots of different jerseys about, and I saw a bunch of different Canucks jerseys. There were chants of "Let's go, Buffulo" "Christian Ehrhoff" and "Thomas Vanek" and possibly some things in German I didn't understand. I don't know if the mix of languages there had an effect but there were lulls in the noise at the arena. When I see my local team play, there's almost always cheering, chanting or whatever going on so it never really gets quiet. Maybe that's just the scale of the thing, I'm not sure.
From a Canucks fanpoint, it was really cool seeing a couple of our former players, in particular Willie Mitchell. And may I say his nickname - Big Stick Willie - well and truly deserved. I noticed Ehrhoff less.
The quality of hockey was well above that which I would see here in England but that's probably rather obvious. Ultimately it was an amazing experience, with a great, if sometimes quiet, atmosphere and I'm already itching for more. (Where are next year's Premiere games going to be?!)
And here, have some photos.
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Awesome!
I love listening to European crowds at hockey games. They’re so much more engaged during the game it seems.
Glad you got to see a live game! It’s a really fun time, especially if the crowd is into it
"Playin hurt, baby that don't faze me. I don't got time for pain. The only pain I've got time for is the pain I put on fools who don't know what time it is!"
Any time anyone loses their NHL virginity, the post deserves to be rec’ced!
Hope you had a good time at the game, it’s so much different when you’re watching the game live.
Frequent visitor to Nucks Misconduct.
Sweet! Glad you got out to see a game like that! Thanks for sharing!
Contributor at Nucks Misconduct
Nice!
I enjoy watching those Euro games.
The whistling instead of booing, I like that too.
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To be honest not sure if I noticed that. Although I know watching my local team we are not scared to boo. Our rivals [Guildford Flames] last year (who ended up winning the play-offs) had a keeper that everyone in Manchester loathed. I believe “dodgy keeper” was the prefered chant. I’m almost said he doesn’t play for Guildford anymore.
awesome
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by Chuckles Canuckles on Oct 16, 2011 9:22 PM PDT reply actions


















