Just picture a winter afternoon on a mid-December weekend with a light snow fall, a little bit of bite in the air but nothing too cold. You have a cup of mulled wine, or hot chocolate keeping your hands nice and toasty. In front of you you have a frozen lake with a two equally talented teams playing a spirited game of hockey. You are with your family or a group of friends rooting for one of the teams. You think for a second that this is how hockey was meant to be. On the weekend of December 13-15 you will be able to experience this here in Budapest!
A Winter Classic hockey weekend will be taking place in the city park behind Heros Square on the lake next to Vajdahunyad Castle. It will be the first time in almost 70 years and not since World War II that a professional ice hockey match will be played on that sheet of ice. This all being put together in cooperation with the Hungarian Ice Hockey Federation, EBEL and the MOL League.
The weekend will have something for everyone with most events being free to families. The main goal of the weekend aside from having quality hockey in its natural surroundings is to promote the sport in the capital city of Budapest. Almost every aspect of Hungarian hockey will be on display during the weekend. The plan is to have this event to not be just a one off event but to happen every year said Miklós Németh the President of the Federation.
The weekend will contain two EBEL games, one MOL League match, a women's league game, U18 match, for the fans feeling nostalgic an old boys all-star game and of course we can't forget about the little U10 and U8 guys who'll have tournaments as well.
Surrounding the ice rink will be mobile stands that will hold up to 4,200 fans that should give the proper atmosphere for a weekend like this.
With all the enthusiasm coming from the people involved and knowing what the Hungarian hockey fans are like, this is bound to be a weekend for everyone to remember.
The weekends schedule.
Friday December 13.
19.15 SAPA Fehérvár AV19-EC RedBull Saltzburg (EBEL)
Saturday December 14.
10.00 U10 tournament
13.00 MAC Budapest--ifj. Ocskay Gábor Jégkorong Akadémia (EBJL/U18)
16.30 Old Boys All-Star game
18.30 DAB-Docler-Miskolc Jegesmedvék (MOL League)
Sunday December 15.
10.00 U8 tournament
13.00 KMH Budapest-Sabres Vienna (EWHL)
17.30 SAPA Fehérvár AV19-EC KAC Klagenfurt (EBEL)
Szabolcs Závodszky
@Zavodszky
Photo: László Mudra (Hungarian Ice Hockey Federation)