When you think of Tim Hortons Field in Hamilton no one will blame you for picturing Tiger-Cats linebacker Simoni Lawrence making a big tackle or quarterback Dane Evans throwing a game-winning touchdown.
On Sunday, however, the stadium lovably called ‘the donut box’ played host to the National Hockey League’s Heritage Classic.
With the eyes of the hockey world focused on Hamilton’s iconic football grounds, the Toronto Maple Leafs and Buffalo Sabres battled each other — as well a cold, strong wind, and light flurries — in the NHL’s 35th outdoor regular season game.
With a temperature of -1 at puck drop, the sold-out pro-Leafs crowd of 26,119 fans watched as Buffalo beat Toronto 5-2.
Since Halloween, Tim Hortons Field has hosted a long list of high profile events, including the Grey Cup, a World Cup qualifying soccer match between Canada and the United States, the Canadian Premier League championship final, and a CONCACAF Champions League round of 16 game.
The stadium will host another outdoor hockey game Monday night when the Ontario Hockey League’s Hamilton Bulldogs host the Oshawa Generals.
The Olympic gold medal winning Canadian women’s hockey team was honoured during the second intermission in a ceremony that also featured Hamilton singer Max Kerman of the multiple Juno Award winning band The Arkells.
Pop-punk singer Willow — daughter of actors Will Smith and Jada Pinkett Smith — performed before puck drop and Grammy award-winner Alessia Cara, from Brampton, Ont., sang to the crowd during the first intermission.
Fans who attended the game could get their photo taken alongside the Stanley Cup and view trophies like the Hart, Conn Smythe and Art Ross, and participate in slapshot and accuracy shooting stations.
2022 Tim Hortons NHL Heritage Classic by the numbers:
1 – Sunday’s game was the first NHL contest to be played at Tim Hortons Field. The Toronto Marlies beat the Hamilton Bulldogs 7-2 in an AHL game at old Ivor Wynne Stadium in 2012 in front of more than 20-thousand fans.
2 – Prior to Sunday, two Hamilton venues hosted an NHL regular season game. The old Barton Street Arena (63 GP; last one in March 7, 1925) and Copps Coliseum (8 GP; last one in March 23, 1994).
3 – Sunday’s game was the third time Buffalo played outdoors. The Sabres lost in a shootout against Pittsburgh in the 2008 Winter Classic and again in overtime against the New York Rangers in the 2018 Winter Classic.
4 – The 2022 Tim Hortons NHL Heritage Classic was the fourth regular season outdoor game for the Toronto Maple Leafs. Toronto defeated Detroit at the 2014 Winter Classic and the 2017 NHL Centennial Classic. But the Leafs lost to Washington at the 2018 NHL Stadium Series.
5 – The Pittsburgh Penguins and Philadelphia Flyers have played in five outdoor regular season games, the most in the National Hockey League.