Normal 0 false false false EN-US X-NONE X-NONE /* Style Definitions */ table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-name:"Table Normal"; mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; mso-tstyle-colband-size:0; mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-priority:99; mso-style-parent:""; mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; mso-para-margin:0in; mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:10.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman","serif";} The Capitals did not have much to be happy about their exhibition game against the Nashville Predators in Baltimore’s 1st Mariner Arena on Tuesday night.
In addition to losing 2-0 to the Predators, both teams complained about sloppy ice conditions in the arena, with some players calling it downright dangerous.
Tyler Sloan, former Capital and current Predator told the Washington Post, “It was bad. Along the boards there was cement [where ice had melted]. Guys were ticked off a little bit because it was dangerous.”
Luckily, no players were hurt as a result of the poor ice.
Players also say the heat and humidity inside the building contributed to the sloppy conditions.
The arena was hosting its first professional hockey game in 14 years.
Sloan says the ice was melting into puddles right from the opening faceoff.
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“It was new ice, so I don’t think it had time to totally solidify…Big chunks (of ice) come out and you’re down to the concrete. If a guy catches a toe in there and twists a knee or something, it could be pretty ugly.”
Predators’ head coach Barry Trotz coached the Baltimore Skipjacks from 1990-1993, and said the problem was obvious.
“They just didn’t get the building cold enough!”
