They are putting the final touches on the ice and the stands at the ice rink that has been set up behind Heros' Square in city park where the Winter Classic will be held this upcoming weekend. Since the rink is supposed to seat just over 4000 people the organizers are hoping that there will be a full house for the main event on all three nights.
The MOL League matchup between DAB.Docler and Miskolc on Saturday night will be sandwiched between two EBEL matches. "On Friday we will be going up against Red Bull Salzburg, which has won multiple EBEL titles, our opponent on Sunday Klagenfurt is the winningest team in Austria," said Tamás Sille assistant coach for SAPA Fehérvár AV19. "We are expecting two competitive games. We have played Salzburg twice this season, winning both at home and on the road. Against Klagenfurt we are expecting a great battle, as well."
When asked about the MOL League matchup, DAB.Docler winger Balázs Ladányi said "Five years ago I don't think any of us would have expected that this would become such a big rivalry. Miskolc has built itself up to a team that is always in the fight for top of the league. Unfortunately we have lost to them the last two times."
"The team is real pumped up and there is a buzz in the locker room," said Miskolc captain Tyler Metcalfe. "Of course all of us have played outside but not since our childhood, it will be interesting to see who can get accommodated to the weather faster."
Among the other events going on during the three days there will be a U8 and a U10 tournament, a U18 match, a women's league match and probably the most interesting event, an old boys All-Star game. The team captains for the two old boys teams will be former national team defenseman Balázs Kangyal and former national team forward Krisztián Palkovics. Kangyal and Palkovics were teammates for a number of season in Fehérvár and were part of the team which won promotion to the A pool in 2008 in Sapporo.
If mother nature decided to cooperate than the 2013 Winter Classic weekend could be great not only for the players on the ice but also memorable for the fans in the stands as well!
The weekends schedule
Friday, December 13.
19.15 SAPA Fehérvár AV19-EC RedBull Salzburg (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