On October 3, 2018 they are Kölner Haie against the Edmonton Oilers in the LANXESS arena in front of a sold-out crowd. Also on the ice were Marian Rohatsch as the main judge and Kilian Hinterdobler as the linesman.
Unlike games that have taken place in Europe in recent years, two NHL referees were also nominated to referee games in their respective leagues. From the NHL, John Murray (linesman) and Francois St. Laurent (referee) were in Cologne. Both are experienced referees and have been working as referees for the NHL since 2009 (St. Laurent) and 2000 (Murray). John Murray also appeared in the 2012, 2016 and 2018 Stanley Cup Finals.
It was of course a special experience for the German referees to be on the ice with the NHL professionals. “It is certainly unique to have two such experienced NHL referees officiating this special game. They both gave us a great feeling, we were a team and they welcomed us incredibly well,” says Marian Rohatsch. Kilian Hinterdobler was also impressed by the atmosphere on the ice: “It was unbelievable the respect the players from the Edmonton Oilers showed us. This game will remain unforgettable for me." After the game, both experienced a special highlight. “There is a knock on our cabin door and suddenly Connor McDavid is standing in our cabin. He thanks us for managing the game and gives us each an autographed racket,” Kilian Hinterdobler is still flabbergasted. Marian Rohatsch: “The racket will of course have a place of honor and will always remind me of this highlight. It was a lot of fun to get a little taste of the NHL!”.