List of ice hockey games with highest attendance


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 ; 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 is 28,183, which was set on April 23, 1996, at the Thunderdome during a Tampa Bay Lightning – Philadelphia Flyers game.
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 UM as 113,411, at that time the largest in the stadium's history, 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.
RankAttendanceLocationDateEventHome teamFinal scoreVisiting team
1113,411
104,173 		Michigan Stadium, Ann ArborThe Big Chill at the Big HouseMichigan Wolverines 5–0Michigan State Spartans
2105,491
< 104,173 		Michigan Stadium, Ann Arbor2014 NHL Winter ClassicDetroit Red Wings2–3
Toronto Maple Leafs
385,630 Cotton Bowl, Dallas2020 NHL Winter ClassicDallas Stars4-2Nashville Predators
477,803 Veltins-Arena, Gelsenkirchen2010 IIHF World Championship1–2
'
574,554 Spartan Stadium, East LansingCold WarMichigan State Spartans 3–3Michigan Wolverines
671,381 Gazprom Arena, Saint PetersburgEuro Hockey Tour5–0
771,217 Ralph Wilson Stadium, Orchard Park2008 NHL Winter ClassicBuffalo Sabres1–2
Pittsburgh Penguins
870,205 Levi's Stadium, Santa Clara, California2015 NHL Stadium SeriesSan Jose Sharks1–2Los Angeles Kings
968,111 Heinz Field, Pittsburgh2011 NHL Winter ClassicPittsburgh Penguins1–3Washington Capitals
1067,877 Gazprom Arena, Saint PetersburgEuro Hockey Tour'2–0
1167,318 Heinz Field, Pittsburgh2017 NHL Stadium SeriesPittsburgh Penguins4–2Philadelphia Flyers
1267,246 Gillette Stadium, Foxborough2016 NHL Winter ClassicBoston Bruins1–5Montreal Canadiens
1362,921 Soldier Field, Chicago2014 NHL Stadium SeriesChicago Blackhawks5–1Pittsburgh Penguins
1457,167 Commonwealth Stadium, Edmonton2003 Heritage ClassicEdmonton Oilers3–4Montreal Canadiens
1555,031 Camp Randall Stadium, MadisonCamp Randall Hockey ClassicWisconsin Badgers 6–1Bemidji State Beavers
1555,031 Camp Randall Stadium, MadisonCamp Randall Hockey ClassicWisconsin Badgers 3–2Michigan Wolverines
1655,000 Lenin Stadium, Moscow1957 Ice Hockey World Championships4–4
1754,194 BC Place, Vancouver2014 NHL Heritage ClassicVancouver Canucks2–4Ottawa Senators
1854,099 Dodger Stadium, Los Angeles2014 NHL Stadium SeriesLos Angeles Kings0–3Anaheim Ducks
1952,051 Soldier Field, ChicagoOfficeMax Hockey City ClassicNotre Dame Fighting Irish 2–1Miami RedHawks
1952,051 Soldier Field, ChicagoOfficeMax Hockey City ClassicWisconsin Badgers 3–2Minnesota Golden Gophers
2051,125 ESPRIT arena, Düsseldorf2015 DEL Winter GameDüsseldorfer EG3–2Kölner Haie
2150,426 TCF Bank Stadium, Minneapolis2016 NHL Stadium SeriesMinnesota Wild6–1Chicago Blackhawks
2250,105 Yankees Stadium, New York City2014 NHL Stadium SeriesNew Jersey Devils3–7New York Rangers
2350,095 Coors Field, Denver2016 NHL Stadium SeriesColorado Avalanche3–5Detroit Red Wings
2450,027 Yankee Stadium, New York City2014 NHL Stadium SeriesNew York Islanders1–2New York Rangers
2550,000 Stadion Nürnberg, Nuremberg2013 DEL Winter GameThomas Sabo Ice Tigers4–3Eisbären Berlin
2647,011 RheinEnergieStadion, Cologne2019 DEL Winter GameKölner Haie2–3 Düsseldorfer EG
2746,967 Citizens Bank Park, Philadelphia2012 NHL Winter ClassicPhiladelphia Flyers2–3New York Rangers
2846,556 Busch Stadium, St. Louis2017 NHL Winter ClassicSt. Louis Blues4–1Chicago Blackhawks
2945,808 Citizens Bank Park, PhiladelphiaNHL Winter Classic Alumni GamePhiladelphia Flyers Alumni3–1New York Rangers Alumni
3045,653 Citizens Bank Park, Philadelphia2012 AHL Outdoor ClassicAdirondack Phantoms4–3
Hershey Bears
3145,021 TCF Stadium, Minneapolis2014 Hockey City ClassicMinnesota Gophers 1–0Ohio State Buckeyes
3244,592 Ralph Wilson Stadium, Orchard Park2018 World Junior Ice Hockey Championships4-3
3342,832 Nationals Park, Washington, D.C.2015 NHL Winter ClassicWashington Capitals3–2Chicago Blackhawks
3441,022 McMahon Stadium, Calgary2011 Heritage ClassicCalgary Flames4-0Montreal Canadiens
3540,890 Lambeau Field, Green BayFrozen Tundra Hockey ClassicWisconsin Badgers 4–2Ohio State Buckeyes
3640,818 Wrigley Field, Chicago2009 NHL Winter ClassicChicago Blackhawks4–6Detroit Red Wings
3738,472 Fenway Park, BostonFrozen FenwayNortheastern Huskies 3–5New Hampshire Wildcats
3738,472 Fenway Park, BostonFrozen FenwayBoston College Eagles 2–3Boston University Terriers
3838,456 Fenway Park, BostonFrozen Fenway 2012UMass Minutemen 3–2
Vermont Catamounts
3838,456 Fenway Park, BostonFrozen Fenway 2012Maine Black Bears 5-4
New Hampshire Wildcats
3938,112 Fenway Park, Boston2010 NHL Winter ClassicBoston Bruins2–1
Philadelphia Flyers
4037,592 Ford Field, Detroit2010 NCAA Men's Hockey Championship GameBoston College Eagles 5–0Wisconsin Badgers
4136,644 Helsinki Olympic Stadium, Helsinki2011 SM-liiga Winter Classic Jokerit3–4HIFK

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