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In over 36 years of ice hockey I have experienced a lot. Games in all corners of the world, various local derbies in Berlin, but above all the numerous world championships with the highlight of the opening game in Germany on May 7, 2010 in the sold-out football arena at Schalke. Germany won 2-1 against the USA after extra time in front of 77,803 spectators. To this day the record setting for an ice hockey game in Europe.
And now that: DEL Corona season start of the Eisbären Berlin against the Fischtown Pinguins from Bremerhaven in the Mercedes-Benz-Arena with 14,200 empty seats. What a bizarre sadness. A lot more adjectives came to my mind to describe this strange, surreal atmosphere.
Stadium announcer Uwe Schumann said at the welcome: “Hello, dear spectators”…. Hmm, there was just no one. Even the fire fountains from the sponsor’s oil drums when the teams were introduced seemed somehow out of place, without hoots, whistles and applause.
The 170 gram hard rubber disc makes clack, clack, clack on rackets and boards. Even high up under the arena roof of the empty hall, you understand every word on the ice.
The sadness in the stands was offset by a spectacular start on the ice. 1-0 in the second minute after a heavy shot from Christopher Foucault for the hosts. Ten minutes later, Carson McMillan even outnumbered them. Matthew White in the second third and Leo Pföderl and Niklas Andersen for Bremerhaven in the final section made it 3-2. The game was quite sporty, Bremerhaven built on the good performances from the Magenta Sport Cup, the polar bears came out of the quarantine break surprisingly well, because of which they had to cancel the preparatory tournament. The latest newcomers Kristopher Foucault from Krefeld Pinguinen and the American Matthew White (involved in all three goals) were particularly noticeable and seem to be real reinforcements. They made the difference. Thanks to their strong performance in the majority game, the Eisbären Berlin narrowly won 3: 2 against the Fischtown Pinguins.
“Berlin was a bit calmer and more relaxed,” said Bremerhaven’s coach Thomas Popiesch after the game. His Berlin counterpart Serge Aubin added: “We missed our great fans. But we know that they watched at home and supported us. This is now the “new normal”.
After this strange encounter, I am richer by another experience. I would have gladly done without that. It kind of tears my heart apart. The frenetic spectators at an ice hockey game in Germany are without a doubt at least half the enjoyment. To be one of 15 “spectators” in an otherwise empty hall is more of a punishment than a supposed privilege.
Result: 3: 2 (1: 1/1: 0/1: 1)
Tore:
2´- 1:0 PP Kristopher Foucault – Ryan McKiernan – Matthew White
12´- 1: 1 PP Carson McMillan – Niklas Andersen – Dominik Uher
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38´- 2:1 PP Matthew White – Mark Zengerle – Kristopher Foucault
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52´- 3:1 Leo Pföderl – Matthew White
60´ – 3: 2 Niklas Andersen – Carson McMillan
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