List of ice hockey games with highest attendance explained

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.

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 Lightning – Philadelphia 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
1 113,411 (announced)
104,173 (certified) 		Michigan Wolverines (men) 5–0 Michigan State Spartans (men)
2 105,491 (announced)[4]
< 104,173 (certified)[5] 		2–3 (SO) Toronto Maple Leafs
3 85,630[6] Dallas Stars 4-2 Nashville Predators
4 79,690[7] 5–6 (OT) New York Rangers
5 77,803[8] 1–2 (OT) [9]
6 74,554[10] 3–3 Michigan Wolverines (men)
7 71,381[11] 5–0
8 71,217[12] 1–2 (SO) Pittsburgh Penguins
9 70,328[13] New Jersey Devils 6–3 Philadelphia Flyers
10 70,205[14] 1–2 Los Angeles Kings
11 69,620 Philadelphia Flyers 4–3 (OT) Pittsburgh Penguins
12 68,619[15] 2–3 Tampa Bay Lightning
13 68,111[16] 1–3 Washington Capitals
14 67,877[17] 2–0
15 67,318[18] Pittsburgh Penguins 4–2 Philadelphia Flyers
16 67,246[19] 1–5 Montreal Canadiens
17 62,921 Chicago Blackhawks 5–1 Pittsburgh Penguins
18 57,167[20] Commonwealth Stadium, Edmonton2003 Heritage ClassicEdmonton Oilers3–4 Montreal Canadiens
19 56,961 Carolina Hurricanes 4–1 Washington Capitals
20 55,411 Edmonton Oilers 5–2 Calgary Flames
21 55,031[21] Camp Randall Stadium, MadisonCamp Randall Hockey Classic Wisconsin Badgers (women)6–1 Bemidji State Beavers (women)
Wisconsin Badgers (men) 3–2 Michigan Wolverines (men)
22 55,000 4–4
23 54,194 2–4 Ottawa Senators
24 54,099 0–3 Anaheim Ducks
25 52,051 OfficeMax Hockey City Classic Notre Dame Fighting Irish (men) 2–1 Miami RedHawks (men)
Wisconsin Badgers (men) 3–2 Minnesota Golden Gophers (men)
26 51,125[22] 2015 DEL Winter Game Düsseldorfer EG 3–2 Kölner Haie
27 50,426 Minnesota Wild 6–1 Chicago Blackhawks
28 50,105 3–7 New York Rangers
29 50,095 3–5 Detroit Red Wings
30 50,027 1–2 New York Rangers
31 50,000[23] 2013 DEL Winter Game Thomas Sabo Ice Tigers 4–3 Eisbären Berlin
32 47,313[24] Seattle Kraken 3–0 Vegas Golden Knights
33 47,011[25] 2019 DEL Winter Game 2–3 (OT) Düsseldorfer EG
34 46,967[26] Citizens Bank Park, Philadelphia2012 NHL Winter ClassicPhiladelphia Flyers2–3 New York Rangers
35 46,556 Busch Stadium, St. Louis2017 NHL Winter ClassicSt. Louis Blues4–1 Chicago Blackhawks
36 45,808[27] Citizens Bank Park, PhiladelphiaNHL Winter Classic Alumni Game Philadelphia Flyers Alumni3–1 New York Rangers Alumni
37 45,653[28] Citizens Bank Park, Philadelphia2012 AHL Outdoor ClassicAdirondack Phantoms4–3 (OT) Hershey Bears
38 45,523 Ohio State Buckeyes (men) 4–2 Michigan Wolverines (men)
39 45,021[29] TCF Stadium, Minneapolis2014 Hockey City Classic Minnesota Gophers (men)1–0 Ohio State Buckeyes (men)
40 44,592[30] Ralph Wilson Stadium, Orchard Park2018 World Junior Ice Hockey Championships4-3 (SO)
41 42,832[31] Nationals Park, Washington, D.C.2015 NHL Winter ClassicWashington Capitals3–2 Chicago Blackhawks
42 41,022[32] McMahon Stadium, Calgary2011 Heritage ClassicCalgary Flames4-0 Montreal Canadiens
43 40,890[33] Lambeau Field, Green BayFrozen Tundra Hockey ClassicWisconsin Badgers (men)4–2 Ohio State Buckeyes (men)
44 40,818[34] Wrigley Field, Chicago2009 NHL Winter ClassicChicago Blackhawks4–6 Detroit Red Wings
45 40,163[35] 2022 DEL Winter Game Kölner Haie 4–2 Adler Mannheim
46 38,472[36] Fenway Park, BostonFrozen Fenway Northeastern Huskies (women)3–5 New Hampshire Wildcats (women)
2–3 Boston University Terriers (men)
47 38,456[37] Frozen Fenway 2012 UMass Minutemen (men) 3–2 (OT) Vermont Catamounts (men)
Maine Black Bears (men) 5-4 (OT) New Hampshire Wildcats (men)
48 38,112 Boston Bruins 2–1 (OT) Philadelphia Flyers
49 37,592[38] Boston College Eagles (men) 5–0 Wisconsin Badgers (men)
50 36,644[39] 2011 SM-liiga Winter Classic (Talviklassikko) 3–4 HIFK

Notes and References

  1. News: Lightning made NHL history at Thunderdome . NHL.com . John . Kreiser . 2017-04-23 . 2019-12-19.
  2. Web site: Janela. Mike. Highest ice hockey game attendance. guinnessworldrecords.com. 14 December 2010. 16 December 2010. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20110125132212/http://community.guinnessworldrecords.com/_Highest-ice-hockey-game-attendance/blog/3099369/7691.html. 25 January 2011.
  3. News: Record crowd watches hockey game . Associated Press . ESPN.com . 2010-12-11 . 2010-12-12.
  4. Web site: Maple Leafs win Winter Classic in shootout . . Allen . Kevin . 2014-01-01 . 2014-01-01.
  5. Web site: NHL won't get credit for Guinness world record at Winter Classic . . Cotsonika . Nick . 2014-01-24 . 2014-02-08.
  6. Web site: Winter Classic notebook: NHL attendance history, Corey Perry's ejection and more from Stars-Predators. Dallas Morning News. 2020-01-01. 2020-01-02. Scott. Bell.
  7. Web site: Cherwoo . Vin A. . Panarin rallies Rangers to 6-5 win over Islanders in outdoor game at MetLife Stadium . The Associated Press . February 18, 2024 . February 18, 2024.
  8. Web site: Historic win for Germany. International Ice Hockey Federation. 2010-05-07. 2010-05-07. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20100512122053/http://www.iihf.com/channels10/iihf-world-championship-wc10/news/news-singleview-world-championship/article/historic-win-for-germany.html. 2010-05-12.
  9. The USA was the designated home team for this game by IIHF seeding criteria, despite Germany being host of the World Championships.
  10. News: Finsterwalder. Brandon. Outdoor hockey game. The Badger Herald. 2001-10-08. 2009-01-14. 2011-09-28. https://web.archive.org/web/20110928073852/http://badgerherald.com/sports/2001/10/08/outdoor_hockey_game.php. dead.
  11. Web site: Kuznetsova. Elena. Можем и с Канадой сыграть, и 120 тыс. собрать». Ротенберг – о нашем хоккее. championat.com. 2018-12-16. 2018-12-16.
  12. News: Burnside. Scott. Winter Classic: We're live from Buffalo. ESPN.com. 2008-01-01. 2009-01-14.
  13. Web site: Cotsonika . Nicholas J.. Stadium Series highlights spirit of New Jersey in 1st outdoor game in state . nhl.com . February 18, 2024 . February 18, 2024.
  14. News: Kings' Marian Gaborik sends most of 70,205 home unhappy. The LA Times. 2015-02-21. 2015-03-17.
  15. Web site: Rosen. Dan. Stamkos, Lightning hold off Predators in Stadium Series . . 2022-02-27. 2022-03-03.
  16. News: Associated Press . Eric Fehr leads Capitals to victory over Penguins in soggy Winter Classic . https://web.archive.org/web/20160804211143/http://www.espn.com/nhl/recap?gameId=310101016 . dead . August 4, 2016 . . 2011-01-01. 2011-01-01.
  17. Web site: 2019 CHANNEL ONE CUP. RUSSIA - FINLAND - 2:0 . 2019-12-15 . . 2019-12-15.
  18. Web site: 2017 Coors Light NHL Stadium Series™ to Include Pittsburgh Penguins Against Philadelphia Flyers at Heinz Field. December 6, 2016. NHL.com. March 9, 2016.
  19. News: Game Summary Canadiens at Bruins . 2016-01-01. 2016-05-14.
  20. News: The Canadian Press. Canadian Press Enterprises Inc.. Fuhr, Ranford shine at Heritage Classic. CBC Sports. 2003-11-22. 2009-01-14.
  21. News: Can Camp Randall Hockey Classic do it again? . 2013-07-13.
  22. News: DEL Winter Game bricht Europarekord: 51.125 Zuschauer in Düsseldorf . German . 2015-01-10.
  23. News: Deutsche Eishockey-Liga: Nürnberg siegt im "Winter Game" . German . 2013-07-13.
  24. News: Baker . Geoff . January 1, 2023 . Kraken's Joey Daccord shines in shutout win over Vegas in NHL Winter Classic at T-Mobile Park . . January 5, 2023.
  25. Web site: DEG gewinnt in der Overtime, Doppelpack von Ex-Hai Philip Gogulla. www.del.org. 12 January 2019 . de. 2020-02-01.
  26. News: Rangers turn away Flyers as Mike Rupp, Henrik Lundqvist fuel Winter Classic rally . https://web.archive.org/web/20171206151435/http://www.espn.com/nhl/recap?gameId=400047673 . dead . December 6, 2017 . Associated Press . ESPN.com . 2012-01-02 . 2012-01-03.
  27. News: Legion of Doom, Parent power Flyers . Dave Lozo . NHL.com . 2012-12-31 . 2011-12-31.
  28. News: Attendance record shattered in Philly. theahl.com. 2012-01-06. 2012-01-06. 2012-01-08. https://web.archive.org/web/20120108230845/http://theahl.com/attendance-record-shattered-in-philly-p175320. dead.
  29. News: JANUARY 17, 2014 - TCF BANK STADIUM, MINNEAPOLIS. thehockeycityclassic.com. 2014-01-17. 2015-03-23.
  30. Web site: Game Summary. IIHF. 2017-12-29. 2019-04-16.
  31. News: Game Summary Blackhawks at Capitals. 2015-01-01. 2015-02-15.
  32. News: Flames blank Canadiens in NHL Heritage Classic. 2011-02-20. 2012-01-06.
  33. News: Albright. David. On top of the ol' Tundra, a great day for hockey. ESPN.com. 2006-02-14. 2009-01-14.
  34. News: Burnside. Scott. Another successful outdoor tilt gives NHL its signature event. ESPN.com. 2009-01-01. 2009-01-14.
  35. News: Kölner Haie gewinnen das Winter Game 40163 Fans im Kölner Fußball-Stadion. 2022-12-03. 2022-12-04.
  36. News: Frigid Fenway: College players get thrills, chills in baseball cathedral . CNN . 2010-01-09 . 2010-05-08.
  37. News: Maine 5, New Hampshire 4 . uscho.com. 2012-01-07 . 2013-07-13.
  38. News: BC wins second title in three years. ESPN.com. 2010-04-10. 2010-04-10.
  39. Web site: Tulosseuranta: Jokerit 3–4 HIFK . . Finnish . 2011-02-05 . 2011-02-16 . https://web.archive.org/web/20110208000603/http://www.sm-liiga.fi/ottelut/raportti/36841.html . 2011-02-08 . dead .

This article is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License. It uses material from the Wikipedia article "List of ice hockey games with highest attendance".

Except where otherwise indicated, Everything.Explained.Today is © Copyright 2009-2024, A B Cryer, All Rights Reserved. Cookie policy.