Fans of the Montreal Canadiens hockey club caused a small earthquake while celebrating their team’s goals in the semi-finals of the playoffs of the Eastern Conference of the overseas NHL against the Buffalo Sabres. During Game 6 at the Bell Center, experts recorded seismic activity at about 0.5 on the Richter scale.
According to montreal.citynews.ca, the tremors were measured by a Canadian Natural Resources Agency seismograph at Jean de Brebeuf University, about 5 kilometers from the arena, as well as a sensor at a McGill University laboratory, which also picked up fluctuations after the Canadiens’ goals. Seismic activity occurred after precise interventions by Arber Xhekaj, Ivan Demidov and Jake Evans. The duel was watched by more than 21,000 fans in the Bell Center and almost 20,000 more in front of the arena.
Further fluctuations on the seismograph also occurred during the decisive seventh game in Buffalo, in which the team with Juraj Slafkovský eliminated the Sabers in overtime. Fans of the Canadian team once again filled the Bell Centre, where they cheered on their team on the big screens in the second seventh meeting in this year’s playoffs. During Alex Newhook’s game-winning goal, experts noted further movements on the Richter scale.
Measurable ground tremors caused by fans at sporting events are nothing new. In May of last year, an earthquake with a magnitude of 1.74 on the Richter scale was reportedly measured after the decisive goal that secured the title of the English Premier League for FC Liverpool. Similar activities also occur at large concerts. In 2023, earthquakes with a magnitude of 2.3 were recorded near the Lumen Field stadium in Seattle, where matches of the upcoming World Cup will take place, during a concert by the singer Taylor Swift.
