Colorado Avalanche Fan Gets Banned from Hockey Games After Scattering Friend's Ashes on the Ice

Giovana Gelhoren
·2 min read
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DENVER, COLORADO - MAY 31: The Colorado Avalanche celebrate after defeating the Edmonton Oilers with a score of 8 to 6 in Game One of the Western Conference Final of the 2022 Stanley Cup Playoffs at Ball Arena on May 31, 2022 in Denver, Colorado. (Photo by Justin Edmonds/Getty Images)
DENVER, COLORADO - MAY 31: The Colorado Avalanche celebrate after defeating the Edmonton Oilers with a score of 8 to 6 in Game One of the Western Conference Final of the 2022 Stanley Cup Playoffs at Ball Arena on May 31, 2022 in Denver, Colorado. (Photo by Justin Edmonds/Getty Images)

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A Colorado Avalanche fan until the end!

On Jan. 8, self-proclaimed "die-hard" fan Ryan Clark went to Bell Arena in Denver, Colorado on a mission: to spread his best friend's ashes on the ice, The Hill reports.

Kyle Stark was Clark's best friend, best man and favorite person to go to an Avalanche game with, reports Denver7 News. But, in December of 2021, when Stark unexpectedly passed away, Clark knew he had to do something special for his friend.

So, when Stark's parents invited Clark to an Avalanche game at Ball Arena after the funeral, he asked if they could bring some of his ashes to the game, the outlet reports. Before the game started, Clark walked over to the ice and spread some of the ashes.

"We had him in a little baggie," Clark said to Denver7 News. "We got Kyle over the glass and into the ice."

Clark confessed he knew the idea could have some serious repercussions, "Realistically, again, not the brightest idea, but in my heart the best way I could give tribute to my friend for what he truly loved more than anything in the world."

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Unfortunately for Clark, an usher at the arena caught him in the act. "An usher had come up to me and was like, 'Hey dude, what was that?' and I said, 'Well, to be honest with you, that was my best friend Kyle. He died'," Clark said to the outlet.

"If you saw the little bit of the amount that I actually got on there, the Zamboni took care of it round one," Clark admitted The Hill.

Avalanche fans banned. https://sports.yahoo.com/nhl-playoffs-avalanche-fan-barred-from-ball-arena-spreading-ashes-on-ice-164427995.html?guccounter=1&guce_referrer=aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuZ29vZ2xlLmNvbS8&guce_referrer_sig=AQAAAG-iuNqwjjuKOmOhpwz3JL8XhOfXj4LjZLgwHWIP82y_K6zfHTluOMZ8CIAet1V-dm2g0OZnIZHcBYogOqGemly3wUR8s0JEvdIbLArH2tdYWEX6aUMxD3SwkUrTYlvueBTe6yCCIXtHW8cCTJH7BIj9FXxddhPk5UuJVVbZKYML

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Although the amount was small, Clark later received a letter saying he had been banned from Avalanche events at Ball Arena for the rest of the season, Denver7 News reports.

"I'd do it all over again with the biggest smile on my face like I did the last time. I know in my heart that's where he wanted to be," he said to the outlet. "When asked constantly, 'Where do you think he is?' Well, that Zamboni got him all over the ice."

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Clark, now cheering for his team at home, told The Hill, "It's fantastic to be able to talk about him."

"I just love him very much. I miss him very much," Clark told Denver7 News. "I wish we were doing a different kind of interview. I wish we were those fans that were coming out of the arena."