It wasn’t the best of games for the 44,000 fans that braved the plunging temperatures at the RheinEnergie Stadion, with Koln failing to show up. In fact they seemed overawed with the occasion.
Not long after FC Koln hero Lukas Podolski had dropped the puck to get proceedings underway, Dusseldorf got a goal. Netting in the opening 17 seconds to set the tone for the game. Indeed Dusseldorfer were clearly the better side during the first two periods.
They walked in a second goal late in the middle period and seemed well in control.
However, Koln got one back in the third period and that seemed to wake them up and give them a bit of momentum. The teams changed ends mid-way through the third and then Koln pulled their goalie with 90 seconds to go to tie it up.
In OT Dusseldorf had a chance to score but the goalie saved, then got the puck up the ice for a 2-on-0 break. The Koln player should have passed it to his linemate, but took it himself and waited too long before firing over. Dusseldorf then countered, buried it and won!
Game Notes
* Before the game a set of Roman Gladiators were placed at the side of the pitch that the players had to walk passed to get onto the ice.
* There was a closing ceremony after the game with a laser and firework show which was impressive.
* Before the start of the second period some giant party poppers exploded ticker tape into the air, but one problem was, it covered the ice, everywhere!so the Zamboni’s had to come back out and resurface the ice!
* It might have been a wet and cold evening in Koln, but when the flame throwers went off the blast of the heat actually made me feel warm for a brief second!
* Having travelled with some friends from Blackburn, they were located in the lower tier away from me but they were partying away with some local fans. After the game the local Germans showed us where the best bars were in the City, which made up for the disappointing game.
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