Michigan Holds World Attendance Record For Hockey Game

For the critics of the survival of hockey in America, this latest news story must really stick to them in all the wrong ways. But to the American hockey fans, this story's headline is certainly going to prompt some chest pumping and gloating. Even then it's also a preview of what's in store for the NHL at the Winter Classic and provides more proof that the sensational event of holding a hockey game outdoors to large crowds.

As the article reports, 113,411 people were watching the historical event. It would dwarf the 77,000+ German fans who witnessed a game in their country.

Two Big Ten schools University of Michigan and Michigan State recently held a record-setting hockey game that shows the strength of not only hockey in America but at the collegiate level as well. Also added in for flavor, the in-state rivalry between the Spartans and Wolverines had to boost the local interest.

It was held 9 years to the day that both schools had met previously at Spartan Stadium in East Lansing. If only they told the Spartans to show up and make a game of it, the instant classic would be beneficial for both teams. Instead, it was the Michigan Wolverines who did all the scoring.

Microphones were placed close enough to the ice to amplify the normal hockey sounds of the puck hitting the boards and players skating swiftly back and forth, making it easier for those seated far away to feel like they were part of the action.

At the end of the first period, the Wolverines took a 2-0 lead thanks to defenseman Jon Merrill. But once the second rolled around, the Michigan left winger and Swedish born Carl Hagelin scored in the second period as well as the third. David Wohlberg also added a goal for himself too. Michigan goalie Shawn Hunwick also got to the shutout while stopping all 34 shots he faced.

[Via: The Times Union]