400.000: the magical number.
10 Apr 2012 | Davide Tuniz
With at least two games left to play Norwegian League can celebrate for the first time 400.000 spectators. Meanwhile Federation announces awards: season's dominators Lørenskog IK and Stavanger Oilers capture almost all prizes. Canadian Ryan MacMurchy wins Gullhjelm
While the finals are underway the total attendance for Get-Ligaen games this season is the highest ever with at least two games left: 396,588 fans crowded arenas, broken the last season record of 395.241 with hope to reach the limit of 400.000 if the trend of sold-out matches is confirmed in possibly two games remaining. For the sixth season in a row number of spectators increase: Sparta Sarpsborg was the team with the best average of 2,533 spectators per game and was one of three teams that had more than 2,000 average. The other two were Stavanger and Storhamar. During the playoffs Vålerenga has the highest average - 2.616 - followed by Storhamar and Sparta, each with more than 2.000 average.
Norwegian Federation announces winners of seasonal awards. The two finalists teams
Lørenskog IK and
Stavanger Oilers share almost all titles. Former Victoria Salmon Kings forward
Ryan MacMurchy, at his first season in Europe, wins the Gullhjelm (Gold Helmet) as League Topscorer with 76 points (37 goals and 39 assists) in 44 regular season games. Dutch-American Lørenskog IK coach David Livingston, hired from modest Manglerud Star in October to replace fired Knut Stubdal, was elected Coach of the Year for taking the team at its first ever finals. A special award as Volunteer of the Year was given to Rune Jonsdal, the creator of social program
Hockey Mot Kreft (Hockey against cancer)
2011-2012 Get-Ligaen All Star TeamG:
Tommy Johansen (Storhamar)
D:
Patrick Coulombe (Vålerenga)
D:
Timothy Kunes (Stavanger)
F: James Sixsmith (Lørenskog)
F: Mats Frøshaug (Lørenskog)
F: Ryan MacMurchy (Stavanger)
Coach of the year: David Livingston (Lørenskog)