List of ice hockey games with highest attendance

Last updated

This is a list of ice hockey games with the highest attendance on record. All of the games on this list were held in stadiums designed for field sports such as association football, gridiron football, and baseball. Four of the "games" listed were actually doubleheaders, in which a single ticket provided admission to two games held back-to-back. The fixed-roof Ford Field in Detroit hosted one doubleheader and a single game, and another was held at the retractable-roof Veltins-Arena in Gelsenkirchen, Germany (with the roof closed for that game); all other games on the list were held in open-air venues. Most of these games were staged as special events, and all but one were played in the 21st century.

Contents

Attendance in the 30,000 range was once quite common for major international matches held outdoors in the 1940s and 50s in Moscow's Lenin Stadium. Figures of this type are still common in bandy, a relative of ice hockey played outdoors.

The record for a Stanley Cup playoff game, as well as for an NHL game played in a teams' regular home stadium, is 28,183, which was set on April 23, 1996, at the Thunderdome during a Tampa Bay LightningPhiladelphia Flyers game. [1]

A new record was set on December 11, 2010, when the University of Michigan's men's ice hockey team faced cross-state rival Michigan State in an event billed as "The Big Chill at the Big House". The game was played at Michigan's football venue, Michigan Stadium in Ann Arbor, with a capacity of 109,901, as of the 2010 football season. Ultimately, a crowd announced by the University of Michigan as 113,411, at that time the largest in the stadium's history (including football), saw the homestanding Wolverines win 5–0. Guinness World Records , using a count of ticketed fans who actually entered the stadium instead of UM's figure of tickets sold, announced a final figure of 104,173. [2] [3]

RankAttendanceLocationDateEventHome teamFinal scoreVisiting team
1113,411 (announced) [3]
104,173 (certified) [2]
Flag of the United States.svg Michigan Stadium, Ann Arbor December 11, 2010 The Big Chill at the Big House Michigan Wolverines (men) 5–0 Michigan State Spartans (men)
2105,491 (announced) [4]
< 104,173 (certified) [5]
Flag of the United States.svg Michigan Stadium, Ann Arbor January 1, 2014 2014 NHL Winter Classic Detroit Red Wings 2–3 (SO) Toronto Maple Leafs
385,630 [6] Flag of the United States.svg Cotton Bowl, Dallas January 1, 2020 2020 NHL Winter Classic Dallas Stars 4-2 Nashville Predators
477,803 [7] Flag of Germany.svg Veltins-Arena, Gelsenkirchen May 7, 2010 2010 IIHF World Championship Flag of the United States.svg  United States 1–2 (OT)Flag of Germany.svg  Germany [8]
574,554 [9] Flag of the United States.svg Spartan Stadium, East Lansing October 6, 2001 Cold War Michigan State Spartans (men) 3–3 Michigan Wolverines (men)
671,381 [10] Flag of Russia.svg Gazprom Arena, Saint Petersburg December 16, 2018 Euro Hockey Tour Flag of Russia.svg  Russia 5–0Flag of Finland.svg  Finland
771,217 [11] Flag of the United States.svg Ralph Wilson Stadium, Orchard Park January 1, 2008 2008 NHL Winter Classic Buffalo Sabres 1–2 (SO) Pittsburgh Penguins
870,205 [12] Flag of the United States.svg Levi's Stadium, Santa Clara, California February 21, 2015 2015 NHL Stadium Series San Jose Sharks 1–2 Los Angeles Kings
969,620 Flag of the United States.svg Lincoln Financial Field, Philadelphia February 23, 2019 2019 NHL Stadium Series Philadelphia Flyers 4–3 (OT) Pittsburgh Penguins
1068,619 [13] Flag of the United States.svg Nissan Stadium, Nashville February 26, 2022 2022 NHL Stadium Series Nashville Predators 2–3 Tampa Bay Lightning
1168,111 [14] Flag of the United States.svg Heinz Field, Pittsburgh January 1, 2011 2011 NHL Winter Classic Pittsburgh Penguins 1–3 Washington Capitals
1267,877 [15] Flag of Russia.svg Gazprom Arena, Saint Petersburg December 15, 2019 Euro Hockey Tour Flag of Russia.svg  Russia 2–0Flag of Finland.svg  Finland
1367,318 [16] Flag of the United States.svg Heinz Field, Pittsburgh February 25, 2017 2017 NHL Stadium Series Pittsburgh Penguins 4–2 Philadelphia Flyers
1467,246 [17] Flag of the United States.svg Gillette Stadium, Foxborough January 1, 2016 2016 NHL Winter Classic Boston Bruins 1–5 Montreal Canadiens
1562,921 Flag of the United States.svg Soldier Field, Chicago March 1, 2014 2014 NHL Stadium Series Chicago Blackhawks 5–1 Pittsburgh Penguins
1657,167 [18] Flag of Canada (Pantone).svg Commonwealth Stadium, Edmonton November 22, 2003 2003 Heritage Classic Edmonton Oilers 3–4 Montreal Canadiens
1756,961 Flag of the United States.svg Carter-Finley Stadium, Raleigh February 18, 2023 2023 NHL Stadium Series Carolina Hurricanes 4–1 Washington Capitals
1855,411 Flag of Canada (Pantone).svg Commonwealth Stadium, Edmonton October 29, 2023 2023 NHL Heritage Classic Edmonton Oilers 5–2 Calgary Flames
1955,031 [19] Flag of the United States.svg Camp Randall Stadium, Madison February 6, 2010Camp Randall Hockey Classic Wisconsin Badgers (women) 6–1 Bemidji State Beavers (women)
Wisconsin Badgers (men) 3–2 Michigan Wolverines (men)
2055,000 [9] Flag of the Soviet Union.svg Lenin Stadium, Moscow March 5, 1957 1957 Ice Hockey World Championships Flag of the Soviet Union.svg  Soviet Union 4–4Flag of Sweden.svg  Sweden
2154,194 Flag of Canada (Pantone).svg BC Place, Vancouver March 2, 2014 2014 NHL Heritage Classic Vancouver Canucks 2–4 Ottawa Senators
2254,099 Flag of the United States.svg Dodger Stadium, Los Angeles January 25, 2014 2014 NHL Stadium Series Los Angeles Kings 0–3 Anaheim Ducks
2352,051 Flag of the United States.svg Soldier Field, Chicago February 17, 2013OfficeMax Hockey City Classic Notre Dame Fighting Irish (men) 2–1 Miami RedHawks (men)
Wisconsin Badgers (men) 3–2 Minnesota Golden Gophers (men)
2451,125 [20] Flag of Germany.svg ESPRIT arena, Düsseldorf January 10, 20152015 DEL Winter Game Düsseldorfer EG 3–2 Kölner Haie
2550,426 Flag of the United States.svg TCF Bank Stadium, Minneapolis February 21, 2016 2016 NHL Stadium Series Minnesota Wild 6–1 Chicago Blackhawks
2650,105 Flag of the United States.svg Yankee Stadium, New York City January 26, 2014 2014 NHL Stadium Series New Jersey Devils 3–7 New York Rangers
2750,095 Flag of the United States.svg Coors Field, Denver February 27, 2016 2016 NHL Stadium Series Colorado Avalanche 3–5 Detroit Red Wings
2850,027 Flag of the United States.svg Yankee Stadium, New York City January 29, 2014 2014 NHL Stadium Series New York Islanders 1–2 New York Rangers
2950,000 [21] Flag of Germany.svg Stadion Nürnberg, Nuremberg January 5, 20132013 DEL Winter Game Thomas Sabo Ice Tigers 4–3 Eisbären Berlin
3047,011 [22] Flag of Germany.svg RheinEnergieStadion, Cologne January 12, 20192019 DEL Winter Game Kölner Haie 2–3 (OT) Düsseldorfer EG
3146,967 [23] Flag of the United States.svg Citizens Bank Park, Philadelphia January 2, 2012 2012 NHL Winter Classic Philadelphia Flyers 2–3 New York Rangers
3246,556 Flag of the United States.svg Busch Stadium, St. Louis January 2, 2017 2017 NHL Winter Classic St. Louis Blues 4–1 Chicago Blackhawks
3345,808 [24] Flag of the United States.svg Citizens Bank Park, Philadelphia December 31, 2011 NHL Winter Classic Alumni Game Philadelphia Flyers Alumni3–1 New York Rangers Alumni
3445,653 [25] Flag of the United States.svg Citizens Bank Park, Philadelphia January 6, 2012 2012 AHL Outdoor Classic Adirondack Phantoms 4–3 (OT) Hershey Bears
3545,523 Flag of the United States.svg FirstEnergy Stadium, Cleveland February 18, 2023 Faceoff on the Lake Ohio State Buckeyes (men) 4–2 Michigan Wolverines (men)
3645,021 [26] Flag of the United States.svg TCF Stadium, Minneapolis January 17, 20142014 Hockey City Classic Minnesota Gophers (men) 1–0 Ohio State Buckeyes (men)
3744,592 [27] Flag of the United States.svg Ralph Wilson Stadium, Orchard Park December 29, 2017 2018 World Junior Ice Hockey Championships Flag of the United States.svg  United States 4-3 (SO)Flag of Canada (Pantone).svg  Canada
3842,832 [28] Flag of the United States.svg Nationals Park, Washington, D.C. January 1, 2015 2015 NHL Winter Classic Washington Capitals 3–2 Chicago Blackhawks
3941,022 [29] Flag of Canada (Pantone).svg McMahon Stadium, Calgary February 20, 2011 2011 Heritage Classic Calgary Flames 4-0 Montreal Canadiens
4040,890 [30] Flag of the United States.svg Lambeau Field, Green Bay February 13, 2006 Frozen Tundra Hockey Classic Wisconsin Badgers (men) 4–2 Ohio State Buckeyes (men)
4140,818 [31] Flag of the United States.svg Wrigley Field, Chicago January 1, 2009 2009 NHL Winter Classic Chicago Blackhawks 4–6 Detroit Red Wings
4240,163 [32] Flag of Germany.svg RheinEnergieStadion, Cologne December 3, 20222022 DEL Winter Game Kölner Haie 4–2 Adler Mannheim
4338,472 [33] Flag of the United States.svg Fenway Park, Boston January 8, 2010Frozen Fenway Northeastern Huskies (women) 3–5 New Hampshire Wildcats (women)
Boston College Eagles (men) 2–3 Boston University Terriers (men)
4438,456 [34] Flag of the United States.svg Fenway Park, Boston January 7, 2012Frozen Fenway 2012 UMass Minutemen (men) 3–2 (OT) Vermont Catamounts (men)
Maine Black Bears (men) 5-4 (OT) New Hampshire Wildcats (men)
4538,112 Flag of the United States.svg Fenway Park, Boston January 1, 2010 2010 NHL Winter Classic Boston Bruins 2–1 (OT) Philadelphia Flyers
4637,592 [35] Flag of the United States.svg Ford Field, Detroit April 10, 2010 2010 NCAA Men's Hockey Championship Game Boston College Eagles (men) 5–0 Wisconsin Badgers (men)
4736,644 [36] Flag of Finland.svg Helsinki Olympic Stadium, Helsinki February 5, 20112011 SM-liiga Winter Classic ( Talviklassikko ) Jokerit 3–4 HIFK

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mike Knuble</span> Canadian-American ice hockey player

Michael Rudolph Knuble is a Canadian-born American former professional ice hockey right winger who played in the National Hockey League (NHL). During his 16 NHL seasons, he played for the Detroit Red Wings, New York Rangers, Boston Bruins, Philadelphia Flyers and Washington Capitals.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Marco Sturm</span> German ice hockey player and coach

Marco Johann Sturm is a German professional ice hockey coach and former winger who played in the National Hockey League and Deutsche Eishockey Liga. He is currently the Head Coach of the Ontario Reign.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">John-Michael Liles</span> American ice hockey player (born 1980)

John-Michael Liles is an American former professional ice hockey defenseman. He played in the National Hockey League (NHL) for the Colorado Avalanche, Toronto Maple Leafs, Carolina Hurricanes and Boston Bruins. In addition to his playing career, Liles is a minority owner of the Indiana Ice of the United States Hockey League (USHL).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Shea Weber</span> Canadian ice hockey player

Shea Michael Weber is a Canadian professional ice hockey defenceman under contract with the Arizona Coyotes of the National Hockey League (NHL). He played sixteen seasons in the NHL for the Nashville Predators and Montreal Canadiens. He is known to have one of the hardest shots in hockey history.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Colby Armstrong</span> Canadian ice hockey player (born 1982)

Colby Joseph Armstrong is a Canadian former professional ice hockey player who played in the National Hockey League (NHL) for the Pittsburgh Penguins, Atlanta Thrashers, Toronto Maple Leafs and Montreal Canadiens in a nine-year career. As of 2015 he serves as an NHL analyst for Sportsnet. Armstrong's younger brother Riley briefly played in the NHL with the San Jose Sharks.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Michael Leighton</span> Canadian ice hockey player

Michael W. Leighton is a Canadian former professional ice hockey goaltender who played in the National Hockey League (NHL) with the Chicago Blackhawks, Nashville Predators, Philadelphia Flyers and Carolina Hurricanes.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2008 NHL Winter Classic</span> Outdoor National Hockey League game

The 2008 NHL Winter Classic was an outdoor ice hockey game played in the National Hockey League (NHL) on January 1, 2008, at Ralph Wilson Stadium near Buffalo, New York. It was the league's inaugural Winter Classic game, and was contested between the Pittsburgh Penguins and Buffalo Sabres; the Penguins won, 2–1, in a shootout on a goal by captain Sidney Crosby. The event was the NHL's second outdoor regular season game, and the first outdoor regular season professional ice hockey game to be played in the United States. Due to the snowy conditions, the game was at the time colloquially referred to as the "Ice Bowl" by residents of the area and Sabres' fans. The event was sponsored by AMP Energy, and was televised in the United States on NBC and in Canada on CBC and RDS.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">NHL Winter Classic</span> Ice hockey game

The NHL Winter Classic is an annual outdoor ice hockey game played during the National Hockey League's (NHL) regular season on or around New Year's Day. It is generally held in a football or baseball stadium in an area with a resident NHL team. The Winter Classic is distinct from the league's two other series of outdoor games, the NHL Heritage Classic and the NHL Stadium Series. The first Winter Classic was held in 2008 at Ralph Wilson Stadium in Orchard Park, New York, between the Buffalo Sabres and Pittsburgh Penguins. Fourteen Winter Classics have been held as of January 2023. The most recent game was played during the 2022–23 NHL season at Fenway Park, with the Boston Bruins defeating the Pittsburgh Penguins 2–1.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">NHL Heritage Classic</span> Ice hockey game

The NHL Heritage Classic is one of the series of regular season outdoor games played in the National Hockey League (NHL) that is held in Football stadiums based in Canada. Unlike the NHL's other two series of outdoor games, the NHL Winter Classic and the NHL Stadium Series, the Heritage Classic has been held infrequently: only seven games have been played in the series so far, and the first five match-ups were exclusively between Canadian teams. The inaugural Heritage Classic, hosted by the Edmonton Oilers at Commonwealth Stadium in 2003, was the first outdoor regular season game in NHL history and its success served as the precursor to outdoor hockey games played around the world. The second Heritage Classic, played at McMahon Stadium in Calgary in 2011, set sponsorship and revenue records. The third Heritage Classic was hosted in Vancouver's BC Place stadium in 2014. The fourth game was hosted by Winnipeg at Investors Group Field, now known as IG Field, in October 2016. The fifth game was held on October 26, 2019, at Mosaic Stadium in Regina, Saskatchewan.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2010 NHL Winter Classic</span> Outdoor National Hockey League game

The 2010 NHL Winter Classic was an outdoor ice hockey game played in the National Hockey League (NHL) on January 1, 2010, at Fenway Park in Boston, Massachusetts. The third edition of the Winter Classic, it matched the Boston Bruins against the Philadelphia Flyers. The Bruins won the game, 2–1, in overtime. With the victory, the Bruins became the first home team to win a Winter Classic. After the game, the roster of the United States men's hockey team for the 2010 Winter Olympics was released, which included Bruins' goaltender Tim Thomas.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The Big Chill at the Big House</span>

The Big Chill at the Big House was an outdoor college ice hockey game played on December 11, 2010, at Michigan Stadium at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor. The Michigan Wolverines men's team defeated its rival, the Michigan State Spartans, 5–0. In a rematch of the Cold War outdoor game between the teams in 2001, the "Big Chill" set a record for hockey attendance with an official attendance of 104,173.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">AHL Outdoor Classic</span> Ice hockey game

Teams in the American Hockey League first hosted games outdoors in 2010. Paralleling the National Hockey League's Winter Classic and Heritage Classic, these outdoor games frequently pit two regional rivals in a game in an outdoor venue. Inasmuch as the games have carried a unified brand, the most commonly used name for these events has been the Outdoor Classic.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2011 NHL Winter Classic</span> Outdoor National Hockey League game

The 2011 NHL Winter Classic was an outdoor ice hockey game played in the National Hockey League (NHL) on January 1, 2011, at Heinz Field in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The fourth edition of the Winter Classic, it matched the Washington Capitals against the Pittsburgh Penguins; the Capitals won, 3–1. The game, rescheduled from its original 1:00 p.m. ET start time to 8:00 p.m. due to weather concerns, was telecast on NBC in the United States, and CBC (English) and RDS (French) in Canada. Pittsburgh native Jackie Evancho performed the Star Spangled Banner and Pittsburgh sports legends Mario Lemieux, Franco Harris and Jerome Bettis presided over the ceremonial dropping of the puck, and during the second intermission Harris and Bettis hosted a fan event at the outside rink.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2014 NHL Winter Classic</span> Outdoor National Hockey League game

The 2014 NHL Winter Classic was an outdoor ice hockey game played in the National Hockey League (NHL) on January 1, 2014, at Michigan Stadium in Ann Arbor, Michigan. The sixth edition of the Winter Classic, it matched the Toronto Maple Leafs against the Detroit Red Wings; the Maple Leafs defeated the Red Wings, 3–2, in a shootout to move past the Red Wings in the Atlantic Division. The game was televised nationally in Canada on CBC and nationally in the United States on NBC. The game set an NHL attendance record of 105,491, surpassing the previous record set during the 2008 NHL Winter Classic.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">NHL outdoor games</span> Professional ice hockey games played outdoors

The National Hockey League (NHL) first held a regular season outdoor ice hockey game in 2003, and since 2008 the league has scheduled at least one per year.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">NHL Outdoors at Lake Tahoe</span> Outdoor National Hockey League game

NHL Outdoors at Lake Tahoe was a series of two outdoor regular season National Hockey League (NHL) games, held on the weekend of February 20–21, 2021. Both games were played without fans at a rink on the 18th fairway of the Edgewood Tahoe Resort in Stateline, Nevada, on the south shore of Lake Tahoe. The elevation of the rink was approximately 6,240 feet (1,900 m) above sea level.

References

  1. Kreiser, John (2017-04-23). "Lightning made NHL history at Thunderdome". NHL.com. Retrieved 2019-12-19.
  2. 1 2 Janela, Mike (14 December 2010). "Highest ice hockey game attendance". guinnessworldrecords.com. Archived from the original on 25 January 2011. Retrieved 16 December 2010.
  3. 1 2 "Record crowd watches hockey game". ESPN.com. Associated Press. 2010-12-11. Retrieved 2010-12-12.
  4. Allen, Kevin (2014-01-01). "Maple Leafs win Winter Classic in shootout". USA Today . Retrieved 2014-01-01.
  5. Cotsonika, Nick (2014-01-24). "NHL won't get credit for Guinness world record at Winter Classic". Yahoo! Sports . Retrieved 2014-02-08.
  6. Bell, Scott (2020-01-01). "Winter Classic notebook: NHL attendance history, Corey Perry's ejection and more from Stars-Predators". Dallas Morning News. Retrieved 2020-01-02.
  7. "Historic win for Germany". International Ice Hockey Federation . 2010-05-07. Archived from the original on 2010-05-12. Retrieved 2010-05-07.
  8. The USA was the designated home team for this game by IIHF seeding criteria, despite Germany being host of the World Championships.
  9. 1 2 Finsterwalder, Brandon (2001-10-08). "Outdoor hockey game". The Badger Herald . Archived from the original on 2011-09-28. Retrieved 2009-01-14.
  10. Kuznetsova, Elena (2018-12-16). "Можем и с Канадой сыграть, и 120 тыс. собрать». Ротенберг – о нашем хоккее". championat.com. Retrieved 2018-12-16.
  11. Burnside, Scott (2008-01-01). "Winter Classic: We're live from Buffalo". ESPN.com . Retrieved 2009-01-14.
  12. "Kings' Marian Gaborik sends most of 70,205 home unhappy". The LA Times . 2015-02-21. Retrieved 2015-03-17.
  13. Rosen, Dan (2022-02-27). "Stamkos, Lightning hold off Predators in Stadium Series". NHL.com . Retrieved 2022-03-03.
  14. "Eric Fehr leads Capitals to victory over Penguins in soggy Winter Classic". ESPN.com . Associated Press. 2011-01-01. Retrieved 2011-01-01.
  15. "2019 CHANNEL ONE CUP. RUSSIA - FINLAND - 2:0". Russian Ice Hockey Federation. 2019-12-15. Retrieved 2019-12-15.
  16. "2017 Coors Light NHL Stadium Series™ to Include Pittsburgh Penguins Against Philadelphia Flyers at Heinz Field". NHL.com. March 9, 2016. Retrieved December 6, 2016.
  17. "Game Summary Canadiens at Bruins". 2016-01-01. Retrieved 2016-05-14.
  18. The Canadian Press (2003-11-22). "Fuhr, Ranford shine at Heritage Classic". CBC Sports . Retrieved 2009-01-14.
  19. "Can Camp Randall Hockey Classic do it again?" . Retrieved 2013-07-13.
  20. "DEL Winter Game bricht Europarekord: 51.125 Zuschauer in Düsseldorf" (in German). Retrieved 2015-01-10.
  21. "Deutsche Eishockey-Liga: Nürnberg siegt im "Winter Game"" (in German). Retrieved 2013-07-13.
  22. "DEG gewinnt in der Overtime, Doppelpack von Ex-Hai Philip Gogulla". www.del.org (in German). 12 January 2019. Retrieved 2020-02-01.
  23. "Rangers turn away Flyers as Mike Rupp, Henrik Lundqvist fuel Winter Classic rally". ESPN.com. Associated Press. 2012-01-02. Retrieved 2012-01-03.
  24. Dave Lozo (2012-12-31). "Legion of Doom, Parent power Flyers". NHL.com. Retrieved 2011-12-31.
  25. "Attendance record shattered in Philly". theahl.com. 2012-01-06. Archived from the original on 2012-01-08. Retrieved 2012-01-06.
  26. "JANUARY 17, 2014 - TCF BANK STADIUM, MINNEAPOLIS". thehockeycityclassic.com. 2014-01-17. Retrieved 2015-03-23.
  27. "Game Summary" (PDF). IIHF. 2017-12-29. Retrieved 2019-04-16.
  28. "Game Summary Blackhawks at Capitals". 2015-01-01. Retrieved 2015-02-15.
  29. "Flames blank Canadiens in NHL Heritage Classic". 2011-02-20. Retrieved 2012-01-06.
  30. Albright, David (2006-02-14). "On top of the ol' Tundra, a great day for hockey". ESPN.com. Retrieved 2009-01-14.
  31. Burnside, Scott (2009-01-01). "Another successful outdoor tilt gives NHL its signature event". ESPN.com. Retrieved 2009-01-14.
  32. "Kölner Haie gewinnen das Winter Game 40163 Fans im Kölner Fußball-Stadion". 2022-12-03. Retrieved 2022-12-04.
  33. "Frigid Fenway: College players get thrills, chills in baseball cathedral". CNN. 2010-01-09. Retrieved 2010-05-08.
  34. "Maine 5, New Hampshire 4". uscho.com. 2012-01-07. Retrieved 2013-07-13.
  35. "BC wins second title in three years". ESPN.com . 2010-04-10. Retrieved 2010-04-10.
  36. "Tulosseuranta: Jokerit 3–4 HIFK" (in Finnish). SM-liiga. 2011-02-05. Archived from the original on 2011-02-08. Retrieved 2011-02-16.