Super Special Hockey Update from Edinburgh!

Well, as you all know there’s no NHL hockey, yet.  So, while I’ve been to a couple Chicago Wolves games, I haven’t been able to go to a top level game in ages.

That all changed.


Behold, top level hockey!

Right here!

That’s the Murrayfield Ice Rink, in Edinburgh (that’s in Scotland), home of the Edinburgh Capitals, as this sign points out, of the British Elite League.

SUBTLETY!

Yes, as you can probably tell, this isn’t QUITE the size of an NHL rink, or an AHL one for that matter, but it still has an old school charm to it.  Like wooden chairs.

Ok, maybe I’m being a bit hard on the place, it’s not bad at all, and the place is in a pretty decent location. While the arena was certainly the coldest I’ve ever been to, the game was pretty amusing, with some quality opportunities for both teams.  After a spirited contest, the Capitals won the game 5-3, with a flurry of goals coming in the third period.

They won!

Now, as many of you are aware, I also enjoy soccer (football outside places that have our football).  While I was in London during our whirlwind tour of the UK, I went to an Arsenal game at the Emirates.  

While there, I thought about soccer and hockey both in the US and UK.  Now, at soccer games in the US (at least at Fire games), there’s certain sections that do ALL the cheering (Section 8, Sector Latino, and wherever the away fans go).  In the UK, it’s pretty much the opposite, judging from the one game I went to, and games I’ve seen on TV, everybody is chanting, singing, etc. And the away fans are cordoned off in a little section by themselves.

However, at the Capitals game, among the (relatively small) attendance, one group did all the loud chanting (with a drum).  Most all the rest of the Capitals fans were pretty much quiet.  This, for the most part, is in contrast to most NHL games I’ve been to, with some exceptions (I’m looking at you, Dallas), where pretty much everyone gets loud and rowdy (and drunk (especially Leafs fans)).  What does this say about hockey? Or sports, or soccer? I don’t really know.  Feel free to leave some comments.