The sixth edition of the Crosstown Smackdown pitted the Mount Royal University Cougars against the University of Calgary Dinos in a double-header featuring the men's and women's hockey teams from each school.
While the Classic encompasses all regular-season matchups between the two schools' volleyball, soccer, basketball and hockey teams, it's the annual clash at the Scotiabank Saddledome that captures the hearts of students, staff, athletes and alumni alike.
"The audience and just the whole aspect of the Saddledome, it really motivated us on the ice and just gave us lots of energy," said Dinos rookie forward Carley Wlad. "Some girls had told me how crazy it can be and how fun it is and I totally agree with them now that I've experienced it."
Wlad and her teammates skated to a 1-0 win over the Cougars before the men's team edged Mount Royal 6-5 in double-overtime. It was the third straight year that the men's game needed double-OT.
The annual double-header and its electric atmosphere are made possible through the support of the Calgary Sports and Entertainment Corporation and the Calgary Flames Foundation, providing athletes with NHL-calibre facilities and in-game production while admission for fans is free of charge.
"The Saddledome has been an institution, a lot of us have a lot of great memories here," said Shifrah Gadamsetti, the president of the students' association of Mount Royal University. "In some way, shape or form, this environment has touched every Calgarian."
Since the inaugural event in 2013 drew more than 4,200 spectators to the home of the Flames, Roughnecks and Hitmen, the Crowchild Classic has evolved into a mega-event for both schools.
In 2016, the Crowchild Classic smashed the U SPORTS hockey regular-season attendance record it set the year before, with 12,589 fans on hand. It also surpassed the 1968 national championship game held at the Montreal Forum for the highest-ever attendance at a U SPORTS hockey event.
This year, for the first time, there were no tickets available at the door, with an announced attendance of 10,478.
"It's been a lot of work on both campuses to build the event to what it is and now we're faced with problems we didn't anticipate we'd have five years ago with, 'how do we turn away people?', and that's a really good problem to have," said Ben Matchett, the assistant athletic director of the University of Calgary. "At any university sport event in Canada, the problem of turning people away from the doors is a good one that a lot of people wish they had."
Since the birth of the Crowchild Classic, when Mount Royal joined the Canada West U SPORTS conference following the school's transition from a college to a university, the season series has developed a culture and tradition all its own. The winner of the series, decided by aggregate wins across all sports, is awarded the 'The Medal' - a 68-kilogram cast iron City of Calgary manhole cover.
The Dinos currently hold the edge in the Crowchild Classic, winning the 2012-13, 2013-14, 2015-16 and 2016-17 titles. The two schools tied for The Medal during the 2014-2015 season.
