The outdoor conditions were a little different than they will be when Colorado plays the Los Angeles Kings on Saturday as the sun was beaming down and many players donned eyeblack or sunglasses to help with the glare.
"That was great. Sun was very bright, if you had the wrong angle you were getting glare right in your face, you couldn't see a thing," said defenseman Ian Cole. "But it was it was fun, it was great experience. And I think everyone in here is excited to play night game tomorrow."
Falcon Stadium is 6,621 feet above sea level, more than 1300 feet higher than what the Avalanche plays at normally at Pepsi Center in Denver.
"Yeah I mean the extra 1000 feet was quite the difference to be honest with you," said Avs captain Gabriel Landeskog. "You think that you are playing at altitude but coming out here, we were sucking wind out there, it was hard. But at the end of the day it is going to be a blast. These games you sort of play on adrenaline, I remember last time we played it was sort of you are nervous, you are excited and you just kind of go out there and play."
Before the practice began, the players got to walk around the field and see how the football field was transformed into a setting where an NHL game can get take place.
The Air Force Academy's 66-year history inspired the field design and décor surrounding the rink and it features the first ever F16 Thunderbird aircraft.
"I want to know how they got that in there because honestly, I was looking at it I'm like, I don't think that fits through that little hole they got in the stands," said rookie defenseman Cale Makar. "So, no, I mean it's cool. I love all that type of stuff about Air Force and airplanes.
"It's a more intimate stadium than you'd find for I guess most football stadiums. So I think it's going to be a great viewing experience for fans. It's going to be awesome and no, I'm excited to see that atmosphere."