Jaromír Jágr provided the ceremonial throw-in before the NHL match in Prague. | Video: Filip Ardon
/PHOTO, VIDEO/ After two years, the new season of the most prestigious hockey competition on the planet, the Canadian-American NHL, started again in Prague’s O2 arena. The teams New Jersey Devils and Buffalo Sabers arrived in the metropolis, for hockey fans from the Czech Republic, but also from all over Europe, it was a big holiday. Before the match there was a parade of jerseys, loud cheering could be heard. The arena and its surroundings experienced a colorful festival.
The largest Czech hall hopelessly sold out to the last seat, two teams in which Czech hockey players left an indelible mark – Dominik Hašek in Buffalo and Patrik Eliáš in New Jersey.
Friday’s game started at 7 p.mSaturday’s rematch is scheduled for 4 p.m. All within the so-called NHL Global Series.
How do the fans predict the double match in Prague and who are they rooting for?
Hockey fans at the O2 arena before the game Buffalo – New Jersey. | Video: Diary/Michal Káva, Jan Šejhl
Long before the kick-off, endless crowds of fans flowed around the arena. And they were not only wearing the jerseys of both opponents.
“Who will win? That’s clear, New Jersey! And why? Because the Devils are the best,” was clear to a group of friends from the Czech Republic and Slovakia.
Fans before the Buffalo-New Jersey NHL match in Prague. | Video: Diary/Radek Cihla
“We will win by two goals, I’m betting 4:2,” objected fan Šavlí from Buffalo, who came to Prague from České Budějovice.
Among the fans of the Sabers and Devils, jerseys of other NHL teams could also be seen, for example Pastrnak’s BostonMontreal Canadians or Chicago Black Hawks
Fans before the Buffalo-New Jersey NHL match in Prague. | Video: Diary/Radek Cihla
But fans in the jerseys of the Swedish national team or German league teams were also to be seen. And on some ticket holders, the jerseys of Czech extra-league clubs, for example BK Mladá Boleslav, were removed.
