The prelude to drop of the puck for the opening game of the 2010 International Ice Hockey Federation World Championships --- the UNITED STATES versus host nation GERMANY from the converted soccer stadium, the VELTINS-ARENA, in Gelsenkirchen. (DPA photo)

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The official spectator count of 77,803 at the Veltins-Arena for the opening game of the 2010 IIHF World Championships in Gelsenkirchen sets a new world record for attendance at an ice hockey match.

The total also surpassed what had been projected by tournament officials and reported in the German press by a good 1,650 or so. It should be remembered that the sport of ice hockey is not widely popular in Germany. Fussball (soccer) is far and away the king of sport in the European country.

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The eishockey fans start to fill up the Veltins-Arena, which is normally the home of German Bundesliga football club Schalke 04 Gelsenkirchen, prior to the match featuring the host nation and the silver medalists from this past winter’s Olympic Games. (DPA photo)

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The gate at Gelsenkirchen wipes away a mark that had stood for over half a century (53 years) in international hockey.

The old record for attendance at an IIHF World Championships match dates back to 1957 for the match between Sweden and the Soviet Union at the multi-purpose Grand Arena of the Central Lenin Stadium (since re-named Luzhniki) in Moscow.

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October 6, 2001 : 74,554 fans watch Michigan State University, ranked # 1 in the nation, and the University of Michigan, who enter the game at # 4, skate to a 3-3 draw at Spartan Stadium in East Lansing, Michigan.

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Oddly enough, the United States team that met Germany at Gelsenkirchen fielded two players who participated for the University of Michigan in the previous record-setting contest.

The Calgary Flames pair of DAVID MOSS and ERIC NYSTROM were freshmen forwards for the Wolverines that 2001-02 hockey season.

Michigan and Michigan State are scheduled to meet again this December in an outdoor game, this time at Michigan Stadium. That game is expected to draw in the neighborhood of 108,000 to “The Big House”. Thus, Gelsenkirchen’s record will be short-lived.

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A record, nonetheless. Which, as both luck and skill would have it, coincided with a major German victory, as well. Both events are wildly celebrated here by the operators of this blog to be certain.

Iserlohn Roosters forward MICHAEL WOLF (16) and Hannover Scorpions defenseman NIKOLAI GOC (77) celebrate Germany's opening goal of the match five minutes into the second period against the United States at the converted Veltins-Arena in Gelsenkirchen. (DPA photo)

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On his debut at a major international for his country in front of a world-record audience, goaltender DENNIS ENDRAS certainly had himself an evening to remember.

The Augsburg Panthers puck stopper piled up 31 saves and American Hockey League forward FELIX SCHUETZ of the Portland Pirates produced a Blitztor just 21 seconds into overtime as host nation GERMANY defeated the UNITED STATES 2-1 in the opening match of the 2010 IIHF World Championships at Gelsenkirchen.

Endras was on the German national squad for last year’s World Championships in Switzerland as well as this winter’s Winter Olympic Games from Vancouver but did not play in a match at either tournament; the 24-year-old got the call from head coach UWE KRUPP to stand in the German net before the record-setting 77,803 spectators in the game against the United States staged at the VELTINS-ARENA, which is normally a football (soccer) stadium.

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Veteran international MICHAEL WOLF of Iserlohn Roosters (16), despite the close-checking of United States forward TIM KENNEDY (13) of the Buffalo Sabres, whips the puck past Florida Panthers goalie SCOTT CLEMMENSEN (30) in the American cage to give Germany a 1-0 lead in the second period at Gelsenkirchen. (DPA photo)

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Germany were always content to absorb United States pressure and play for the counterattack; the Americans outshot the Germans for the game, 32-20.

The Germans went into a bit of a shell to start the third which helped RYAN CARTER (Minn-Mankato State) of the Anaheim Ducks finally tie the game for the United States eight and a half minutes into the final period.

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United States forward RYAN CARTER (22) muscles the puck past German goaltender DENNIS ENDRAS in the third period of the preliminary round Group D match at the Veltins-Arena. (Christof Koepsel/Bongarts/Getty Images)

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Even though the United States brought a young sqaud, there was still plenty of experience on hand for head coach SCOTT GORDON. All but two of the American players at Gelsenkirchen skated the majority of their season in the National Hockey League; most of the United States sqaud are NHL regulars.

To contrast, Germany have just one NHL player competing — 26-year-old team captain MARCEL GOC of the Nashville Predators.

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German forward KAI HOSPELT (18) of Wolfsburg Grizzly Adams, a one-time 7th round selection (2003, # 216 overall) of the San Jose Sharks, advances on American defenseman TAYLOR CHORNEY (41) of the Edmonton Oilers during the opening game of the 2010 IIHF World Championships in Germany. (DPA photo)

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The 22-year-old Schuetz, one of four AHL skaters in the German line-up, put the puck past Florida Panthers’ 32-year old goaltender SCOTT CLEMMENSEN less than half a minute into overtime to delight the home Volk and secure the host nation two valuable points in Group D at this year’s World Championships.

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Germany forward FELIX SCHUETZ signals his goal 21 seconds into overtime on his debut at a major international tournament in front of United States defenseman KEITH YANDLE (93) of the Phoenix Coyotes at the Veltins-Arena. (Ina Fassbender/Reuters)

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Germany national team head coach UWE KRUPP collected what was, by far, his most significant Sieg; it has been 17 years since the Germans last defeated the Americans (Dortmund, 1993) at the annual IIHF World tournament. (DPA photo)

GERMANY is a country where ice hockey is easily less-popular than football (soccer); still, more people will view the first match of the 2010 International Ice Hockey Federation World Championships at the VELTINS-ARENA in the Ruhr city of Gelsenkirchen than normally take in a game for the stadium’s normal tenant, the powerful football side FC SCHALKE 04 of the Bundesliga. (Reuters photo)

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By the time the puck drops for opening game of the 2010 IIHF World Championships, a new world record for single-game attendance at an indoor arena for an ice hockey match will have been set in the Veltins-Arena.

A crowd of 76,152 is expected to be on hand to see the silver medalist from the 2010 Winter Olympic Games, the UNITED STATES, skate against the underdog but home-standing national team of GERMANY in a Group D qualifying round match.

The United States – Germany is the only game of this year’s annual event to be contested in Gelsenkirchen; the rest of Group D’s matches are scheduled for the more than 2,000-year-old historical German city of Koeln (Cologne).

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A stadium worker floods the “ice” surface at the Veltins-Arena football stadium in Gelsenkirchen, Germany, ahead of the 2010 IIHF World Championships for ice hockey. (Reuters photo)===============================================================

Just last Saturday, May 1, the Veltins-Arena staged FC Schalke 04′s final home football match of the season; die Koenigsblauen (Royal Blues) succumbed 0-2 to visiting Werder Bremen and effectively handed the Bundesliga title to FC Bayern Munich.

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The Veltins-Arena, sponsored by the German brewer since July of 2005, was originally known as the Arena AufSchalke when first opened for the German first division football club, FC Schalke 04 Gelsenkirchen. The capacity for a domestic league football contest is 61,482 (both seated and standing); when Germany’s national football team play international matches that total is reduced to 53,951 (seated only). The facility, which first opened in late summer of 2001, was constructed at the cost of a reported 192 million Euros.

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Aus einem Fussballstadion wird eine Eishalle. From a football stadium will be an ice rink. The United States and Germany will drop the puck to open the 2010 IIHF World Championships at 20:15 local time. (Reuters photo)

SVEN FELSKI of Eisbaeren Berlin is the most senior player for the host nation at the annual IIHF World Championships being held in Germany this year. Felski, a two-time Olympian, has already appeared at nine major international tournaments (46 ga, 5 go 7 as, 12 pts) for his country in his career. (Natalia Kolesnikova/AFP/Getty Images)

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GERMANY — IIHF World Championships roster — as of 5/6/10

Head Coach — Uwe KRUPP

Asst Coaches — Ernst HOFNER, Harold KREIS

Goaltenders

• 28 — Dmitrij KOTSCHNEW — Spartak Moscow (Rus)
• 28 — Rob ZEPP — Eisbaeren Berlin
• 24 — Dennis Endras — Augsburg Panthers

Defense

• 34 — Sven BUTENSCHOEN — Adler Mannheim
• 25 — Alexander SULZER — Milwaukee Admirals (AHL)
• 23 — Robert DIETRICH — Milwaukee Admirals (AHL)
• 23 — Nikolai GOC — Hannover Scorpions
• 23 — Justin KRUEGER — Cornell University
• 22 — Korbinian HOLZER — Dusseldorf Metro Stars
• 22 — Constantin BRAUN — Eisbaeren Berlin

Forwards

• 35 — Sven FELSKI — Eisbaeren Berlin
• 33 — John TRIPP — Hamburg Freezers
• 29 — Michael WOLF — Iserlohn Roosters
• 27 — Alexander BARTA — Hamburg Freezers
• 26 — Marcel GOC — NASHVILLE PREDATORS
• 26 — Christoph ULLMANN — Koelner Haie
• 24 — Andre RANKEL — Eisbaeren Berlin
• 24 — Kai HOSPELT — Wolfsburg Grizzly Adams
• 22 — Philip GOGULLA — Portland Pirates (AHL)
• 22 — Felix SCHUETZ — Portland Pirates (AHL)
• 21 — Marcel MUELLER — Koelner Haie
• 21 — Patrick HAGER — Krefeld Pinquine

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The Germans have, at this point, formally registered 19 total players with the IIHF for the World Championships. Each team is allowed to roster 20 skaters and three goaltenders for the opening round. At that point, teams are permitted to add two additional skaters for the remainder of the tournament.

Defensemen CHRISTOPH FISCHER (22) of Wolfsburg Grizzly Adams and FRANK HOERDLER (25) of Eisbaeren Berlin as well as forward DANIEL KREUTZER (30) of Dusseldorf Metro Stars are the other skaters already named to Germany’s World Championship squad by national team head coach UWE KRUPP.

The Germans open the 2010 tournament against the United States on May 7 at the Veltins-Arena in Gelsenkirchen.

Once noticable absentee from the German roster is goaltender DMITRI PATZOLD of ERC Ingolstadt. The 27-year-old former San Jose Sharks netminder had been a part of Germany’s national team the past three World Championships in addition to this past winter’s Olympic Games in Canada. On Patzold’s only apperance in Vancouver, however, the Germans lost to Finland 5-0 in the round-robin.

Finland are a Group D opponent of Germany (May 10) at the 2010 IIHF World Championships.

Krupp also passed on Patzold’s Deutsche Eishockey Liga teammate, Vancouver Olympic forward THOMAS GREILINGER.

Greilinger, who has never scored for Germany (15 games, 3 appearances) at a major international tournament, was the top goal-scorer in the DEL this past 2009-10 season.

National team coach UWE KRUPP fashions a frown face during Germany's 3-1 loss to Denmark at the 2009 IIHF World Championships in Bern, Switzerland. (Petr Josek/Reuters)

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The won-loss record is, without question, less than impressive. And then there is the most recent Olympic debacle in Vancouver. Certainly, the 2010 IIHF World Championships to be held in Germany constitute a final chance for the head coach of the host nation, UWE KRUPP.

Easily the most successful National Hockey League player in German history, Krupp earned two Stanley Cup rings on his travels in the North American professional game as a stay-at-home defenseman.

For Krupp, who won titles with the Colorado Avalanche in 1996 and the Detroit Red Wings in 2002, NHL glory has not translated into a glut of victories for Germany since taking over as the top man for his country’s national team.

Germany has procured a paltry six wins from 27 games at the five major international events contested and have not advanced so far as the quarterfinals even once on Krupp’s watch.

This pales in comparision to the admitedly modest results of Krupp’s predecessor, HANS ZACH, who, ironically enough, recently captured the 2010 Deutsche Eishockey Liga title with the Hannover Scorpions.

Zach delivered a dozen wins at his six major international tournaments as the head coach of the national team and, significantly, was able to steer the Germans to the quarterfinals on five occasions.

The results from the last two tournaments have been absolutely disastrous for the proud German national squad. One win and nine losses with just eleven goals scored speaks for itself.

Truth be told, Gemany would have been relegated to the second tier following the 2009 World Championships were it not for the fact the country was already slated to stage the 2010 IIHF affair. 

Consecutive losses to the supposedly-less powerful hockey-playing nations of France, Denmark and hard-luck Austria (who were demoted in Deutschland’s place despite a higher standing) were of particular embarassment for Krupp’s squad.

Certainly, more is expected this time around on German soil — or else!

After all, former West German international and recently “retired” coach of Switzerland’s national team, RALPH KRUEGER, currently has time on his hands and a son at present in the German national team program.

Nashville Predators forward MARCEL GOC (57) is the only National Hockey League player who will play for the host nation at this year’s IIHF World Championships being held in Germany this month. The 26-year-old has appeared at seven major internationals for Germany with six goals and 10 points from 35 games. (Bruce Bennett/Getty Images)

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National team head coach UWE KRUPP has announced that five players competing professionally in North America have been added to the squad training for the upcoming 2010 IIHF World Championships to be held on home ice in Germany this May.

The good news for Germany is that the Nashville Predators were knocked out of the National Hockey League playoffs early.

That means forward MARCEL GOC, who led the Germans with two goals and three points at the Winter Games in Vancouver, is now clear to to lead the offensive for the host nation.

The 26-year-old Goc, a former 1st round draft pick of the San Jose Sharks (2001, # 20 overall), finished this most-recent NHL season with a career-high 12 goals and 30 points for Nashville in 73 games. 

The Milwaukee Admirals, Nashville’s top affiliate, were also eliminated from the American Hockey League playoffs; defensemen ALEXANDER SULZER (36 ga, 7 go 23 as, 30 pts), a Vancouver Olympian who skated 20 games (0 go 2 as, 2 pts, 4 pim) with the Predators this season, and ROBERT DIETRICH (79 ga, 6 go 37 as, 43 pts) became available for selection by Krupp as a result.

Neither player has appeared thus far for Germany in the international exhibitions contested so far this spring.

Forward FELIX SCHUETZ of the AHL’s Portland Pirates (67 ga, 13 go 14 as, 27 pts) arrived in time to skate Germany’s last exhibition versus Slovakia.

22-year-old PHILIP GOGULLA, the minor league teammate of Schuetz and one-time 2nd round draft choice of the Buffalo Sabres (2005, # 48 overall), did not. In his first season of professional hockey in North America, the former Koelner Haie player posted 15 goals and 35 points in 76 games for Portland in the AHL.

Defenseman MICHAEL BAKOS of ERC Ingolstadt is injured and will not be participating in the upcoming World Championships to be staged in Germany. (Sportfoto-Cologne photo)

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At least one of GERMANY’s defensemen from the Winter Olympic sqaud which competed at the Vancouver Games will not be back to skate for head coach UWE KRUPP’s national team at the 2010 IIHF World Championships to be contested on home soil.

MICHAEL BAKOS of ERC Ingolstadt missed the final practice session before the friendly international versus Switzerland after being diagnosed by German national team doctor PETER PRODINGER to have a torn muscle of the oblique abdominal muscles.

Thus, the 30-year-old rearguard, who has represented Germany at five major international tournaments (26 ga, 2 go 4 as, 6 pts) including this past February’s Vancouver Games, has been formally ruled out of action for the coming World Championships, which begin on May 7.

Norway goaltender ANDRE LYSENSTOEN (30) of Finnish second division club HeKi Heinola is left to scoop yet another puck out of his net during Germany's lopsided 8-2 victory at the Freiberger Arena in Dresden. (dpa photo)

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GERMANY struggled with nerves in the opening period but, for the second night in a row, enjoyed a three-goal burst in the second session and skated their way to a decisive 8-2 decision over the national ice hockey team of NORWAY in an exhibition match at Dresden.

Olympic forward MARCEL MUELLER of EC Koeln gave Germany a bright enough start with a goal in the fifth minute of the match.

The plucky Norwegians proceeded to put two pucks quickly past debutant PATRICK EHELECHNER of the Nuernberg Ice Tigers in the German goal, however.

Former junior international ROBIN DAHLSTROM of IF Frisk Asker, only fifteen seconds after Mueller’s goal, and Norwegian Olympian KRISTIAN FORSBERG of Swedish club Mo Do Ornskoldsvik left the home-standing Germans behind with just eight and a half minutes gone.

But, the versatile CONSTANTIN BRAUN of Eisbaeren Berlin would step into the breach before 3,087 Zuschauer at the Freiberger Arena in Saxony.

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The FREIBERGER ARENA, located in the historical German city of Dresden, is home to second division side ESC Dresdner Eisloewen, the Ice Lions. The facility was completed at a reported cost of 29.7 million Euros and has an official capacity of 4,127 for ice hockey with fixed seats accounting for 3,099 of the total. The first-ever game at the Freiberger Arena featured Eisbaeren Berlin contesting Czech Republic club HC Karlovy Vary in August of 2007.

• GER 1-0 —   4:23 — Marcel MUELLER
• NOR 1-1 —   4:48 — Robin DAHLSTROM
• NOR 1-2 —   8:31 — Kristian FORSBERG
• GER 2-2 — 11:03 — Constantin BRAUN
• GER 3-2 — 18:18 — Constantin BRAUN
• GER 4-2 — 20:31 — Alexander BARTA
• GER 5-2 — 23:33 — Daniel KREUTZER
• GER 6-2 — 32:13 — Patrick HAGER
• GER 7-2 — 47:42 — Sebastian OSTERLOH
• GER 8-2 — 57:26 — Marcus KINK 

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GERMANY

• Goaltender : EHELECHNER (Nuernberg)
• Defense : HOLZER (Dusseldorf), BAXMANN (Berlin); KRUEGER (Cornell Univ), BRAUN (Berlin); REUL, BUTENSCHOEN (both Mannheim); OSTERLOH (Frankfurt), HOERDLER (Berlin)
• Forwards : BARTA (Hamburg), LEWANDOWSKI (Neftekhimik Nizhnekamsk), KREUTZER (Dusseldorf); RANKEL (Berlin), GAWLIK (Frankfurt), FELSKI (Berlin); MA. MUELLER (Koeln), ULLMANN (Koeln), WOLF (Islerlohn); Y. SEIDENBERG (Mannheim), HAGER (Krefeld), KINK (Mannheim)

NORWAY

• Goaltender : LYSENSTOEN (HeKi Heinola)
• Defensemen: HOLOS (Farjestad Karlstad), BONSAKSEN (Mo Do Ornskoldsvik); ODEGAARD, FOLLESTAD (both Frisk Asker); OSTLI (Storhamar), HENRIKSEN (Sparta Sarpsborg); MOSTUE (Storhamar)  
• Forwards : THORESEN (Salavat Yulayev Ufa), BASTIANSEN (Farjestad Karlstad), M. OLIMB (Vastra Frolunda Goteborg); ROYMARK (Vastra Frolunda Goteborg), Z. AASEN (Mo Do Ornskoldsvik), ANDERSEN (Sparta Sarpsborg); K. OLIMB (Frisk Asker), HOLTET (Farjestad Karlstad), MARTINSEN (Lillehammer); PAULSEN (Stjernen Fredrikstad), FROSHAUG (Manglerud Star), DAHLSTROM (Frisk Asker); FORSBERG (Mo Do Ornskoldsvik)

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Norway forward MATS FROSHAUG of Manglerud Star, a sixth round pick of the Vancouver Canucks at the 2008 NHL Draft, and German forward PATRICK HAGER (50) of the Krefeld Pinquine compete for the puck in Dresden. Hager had a goal in the exhibition match for Germany. (Private Press photo)