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Despite a minus-19 Celsius temperature 57,167 fans showed up for the NHL's first-ever outdoor game.
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Fans the star of the show
By Shawn P. Roarke | NHL.com
November 22, 2003
EDMONTON -- While everyone focused on the hockey that took place in Saturday's two games outdoors at
Commonwealth Stadium, the 57,167 fans that braved the
biting cold may have been the best story of the
day. Fans from around the world -- ticket requests were
received from as far as China and Finland, according
to organizers -- filed into the stadium, dressed for
bear and toting blankets and sleeping bags, to witness
history. Along the way, those fans once again affirmed that
Edmonton is not only Canada's "Heartland of Hockey",
but one of the greatest hockey cities in all of the
world. Where else would so many fans ignore the
elements -- minus-19 Celsius with a light wind at the
faceoff of the MegaStars Game -- to take in a pair of
hockey games? "These are the greatest fans in the world," said
Glen Sather, the coach of the Edmonton MegaStars who
led the Oilers to their five Stanley Cups. "They've
been that way for 25 years." Related Links
Heritage Classic on TV- on the CBC (HD simulcast), RDS/SRC (Canada)
and NHL Center Ice, HDNet (U.S.) - 4:30 ET
Alumni Game - 7:00 ET
Canadiens vs. Oilers
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Larry Robinson, a defenseman for the Canadien
MegaStars agreed. "We've got to give all these fans credit for coming
out here and braving the cold and hopefully have some
fun," he said. No worries there, Larry. The fans were having a
blast. Especially after Ken Linesman and Marty
McSorley scored goals for the Edmonton MegaStars to
allow the brilliant goaltending of Grant Fuhr and Bill
Ranford to stand up in a 2-0 victory. "It's quite an event," said Ian McClelland, from
Edmonton, as he sat with his 12-year-old grandson, Colton,
in the hours before the game. "It's amazing there will
this many people out here this long to see a hockey
game. But, that is a testament to the people of
Edmonton." The elder McClelland was speaking from his seats at
center ice in the lower bowl, landed through a
connection to someone on the Heritage Classic
organizing committee. Colton, meanwhile, was almost
lost in his heavy parka with his face covered with a
hood, tuque and scarf. But, it was still possible to see the hints of
Colton's smile as he waited patiently for the start of
the MegaStars game. The McClellands were in their
seats by 1:30 p.m. despite the fact that the MegaStars
Game did not start until 3 p.m. It was followed at
5:15 p.m. by the NHL game between the hometown Oilers
and the visiting Montreal Canadiens -- the first
outdoor regular-season game in the 86-year history of
the NHL. For Ian McClelland, it was a no-brainer to be on
hand despite the challenges presented by the first
true cold snap of Edmonton's long winter. Ian was just
a young man when the Oilers arrived on the NHL
landscape 25 years ago. He, and the team, came of age
together. In the process, the Oilers of his young
adulthood would go on to win five Stanley Cups and put
the city in the center of the hockey map.
Saturday, many of those old heroes -- including the
dynamic duo of Wayne Gretzky and Mark Messier -- were
on hand for the MegaStars game. Colton's heroes, the
present-day Oilers, were then on hand for the Heritage
Classic. Attending this event, said Ian McClelland, was just
the latest step in educating Colton about the amazing
history of the hometown team.  | |
For many young fans, the MegaStars game was the first time seeing some of the game's legends play before them.
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"It's all about the magic that is Edmonton with
what is going on here," said Ian as he watched the
stadium fill up. "When we were young and all full of
hiss and vinegar, the Oilers were also full of hiss
and vinegar. It was a heady time for everyone here at
that time. "For us, at that time, there was far more meaning
to what the Oilers achieved than just winning the
Stanley Cup. It was an epiphany for all of us. It was
a coming of age in the West, a preview of all the
things that would happen in the future." Messier, who received a huge ovation when he took
the ice as a member of the Edmonton MegaStars, also
spoke of the bond the players shared with the fans
during those heady days that established the Oilers as
perhaps the game's greatest dynasty. "It's not only the 57,000 people that came,"
explained Messier. "It was the 57,000 (people) that
came with enthusiasm. I guess that is what makes
Edmonton special. It's the people that make the town
special and that showed again today." Paul Coffey, a defenseman with the Edmonton
MegaStars, echoed Messier's assessment in his
postgame remarks. "We all came in here as young men trying to put our
name or stamp on the game," said Coffey. "And we had
Glen Sather steering our ship. But, I would like to
think that the people here also helped us become
better players, and maybe better people." Saturday, the Edmonton old-timers got the chance to
say thank you to the fans for the role they played in
helping the Oilers forge the magic that gave this city
its reputation as the "City of Champions". The 57,000-plus fans on hand were surely warmed up
considerably by the thank you, which was culminated
with a 2-0 win by their former heroes against an
equally legendary roster from the Montreal
Canadiens.
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