Remember when we were kids – those of us from the Northern parts of North America anyway – we would play hockey at the local outdoor rink in sub zero temperatures, blowing wind under the majestic moon?

Once the skates were pulled off, we slapped – excuse the pun – the hockey stick holding the skates over our shoulders like fishing poles, the fun was capped off with some hot chocolate.

That’s the distinct feeling of nostalgia I got watching the Buffalo Sabres host the Pittsburgh Penguins in the first NHL game played outside in the United States. The first game played outdoors was in  Edmonton between the Edmonton Oilers and Montreal Canadiens back in 2003. That game proved to be very popular as 57 167 fans braved psycho cold conditions (if my memory serves me correct it went as far as -30c) to watch the Habs prevail 4-3.

Certainly, the whole outdor hockey game thing is not without its critics. Would the NBA ever play a game in a park or the streets? 

Prior to the latest edition of the Winter Classic I was indifferent about the whole thing. I certainly wasn’t as cynical as some in the media who spent a lot of wasted energy beating up the idea.

It doesn’t matter what any scribe or loud mouth commentator thinks. If the 70 000 plus fans were any indication as to whether this was a success or not then the consensus seems to fall on the side of the experience being positive. Any sports writer who dismisses it is essentially judging the consumer.

Nor is that anything new for sports fans. It’s not like the Buffalo Bills (or New England Patriots, New York Jets or New York Giants or Philadelphia Eagles or Pittsburgh Steelers, Chicago Bears or Cleveland Browns or Green Bay Packers) never played similar conditions. Seems to me that hockey is the perfect sport to put up with bad weather.

There’s something about battling the elements in sports that is fun to watch and play in. I certainly enjoyed it. Let me take it a step further, being from Canada, we sometimes had to play soccer in November. In shorts. In near sub-arctic conditions. No, our coaches were not kind. They somehow thought playing in shorts in the wretched cold made us men. I remember one year at the conclusion of winning out high school title we ran straight for the dressing rooms to celebrate. I never saw a field empty as fast as I witnessed that day.

 As I watched the game progress it was clear maintaining control of the puck was going to be the toughest obstacle to overcome. Even during the shoot-out the shooters were occupied with trying to not lose the puck in the snow or having to deal with snow hitting the visor and impede vision. It’s very tough to be fast and accurate when the snow gets in the way.

The game has come and gone. I’m sure hot chocolate sales in Buffalo sky rocketed.

Oh yeah, after the game finished 1-1 in overtime. Pittsburgh prevailed in the shoot-out 2-1 with Sidney Crosby netting the winner.

Now everyone go home.