AHL Outdoor Classic#2012

{{main|Mirabito Outdoor Classic}}

The Mirabito Outdoor Classic was the first-ever outdoor hockey game in the 74-year history of the American Hockey League (AHL) as well as the first minor league outdoor game.{{cite web|url=http://www.valleycentral.com/news/story.aspx?id=420890 |title=Crunch make history in Mirabito Outdoor Classic |publisher=Valley Central.com |date=November 24, 2009 |access-date=January 7, 2012 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150102081351/http://www.valleycentral.com/news/story.aspx?id=420890 |archive-date=January 2, 2015 |df=mdy }}{{cite web|url=http://theahl.com/crunch-to-host-ahl-s-first-outdoor-game-p139075|title=Crunch to host AHL's first outdoor game|publisher=American Hockey League|date=February 23, 2010|access-date=January 7, 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100906222850/http://theahl.com/crunch-to-host-ahl-s-first-outdoor-game-p139075|archive-date=September 6, 2010|url-status=dead|df=mdy-all}} The game was put on by the Syracuse Crunch and played at the New York State Fairgrounds in Syracuse, New York. The game took place on February 20, 2010, with the Crunch beating the Binghamton Senators, 2–1. The game set an AHL attendance record with 21,508 fans in attendance. The title sponsor of the game was Mirabito Energy Products with other prime sponsors including Time Warner Cable, Toyota, Labatt Blue, Coca-Cola, Dunkin' Donuts, Wynit, the Syracuse Convention and Visitors Bureau and the Renaissance Syracuse Hotel.

The second outdoor AHL game, known as the Whale Bowl, was held between the Providence Bruins and the recently re-christened Connecticut Whale on February 19, 2011, at Rentschler Field in East Hartford. The game was held one day before the NHL's 2011 Heritage Classic and Hockey Day in America celebrations, and took place as part of USA Hockey's Hockey Weekend Across America promotions.{{cite web |url=http://theahl.com/whale-to-host-outdoor-game-feb-19-p167176 |title=The American Hockey League {{pipe}} Whale to host outdoor game Feb 19 |publisher=TheAHL.com |access-date=April 12, 2012 |archive-date=September 16, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120916210422/http://theahl.com/whale-to-host-outdoor-game-feb-19-p167176 |url-status=dead }} The Whale Bowl was a highlight of a multiple-day "Whalers Hockey Fest" organized by the Whale in honor of the former Hartford Whalers; prior to the game, two other hockey games were held on the outdoor surface, including a college hockey game between Atlantic Hockey Association rivals Army Black Knights and American International College (Army won 4–1),{{cite web|author=Photo by Richard Orr |url=http://www.masslive.com/sports/index.ssf/2011/02/american_international_college_19.html |title=American International College experiences outdoor hockey at Rentschler Field |date=February 20, 2011 |publisher=masslive.com |access-date=April 12, 2012}} as well as an exhibition between alumni of the Boston Bruins and Hartford Whalers (which ended in a 4–4 tie) which drew 10,000 fans.

Announced attendance for the AHL game was 21,673, but due to extreme cold only 15,234 fans showed up at the stadium to see the game.{{cite web |url=http://www.courant.com/sports/hockey/hc-a1-whale-bowl-0220-20110219,0,4426364.story |title=Wind Chills Whale Bowl Attendance – Hartford Courant |publisher=Courant.com |date=February 19, 2011 |access-date=April 12, 2012 }}{{Dead link|date=September 2019 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }} Providence defeated the Whale in a shootout, 5–4.{{cite web |url=http://www.ctwhale.com/default.asp?ctwhale=59&objId=1183 |title=The CT Whale :: Bruins Nab Shootout Win over Whale in Harvest-Properties.com Whale Bowl AHL Game |website=www.ctwhale.com |access-date=17 January 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110223171728/http://www.ctwhale.com/default.asp?ctwhale=59&objId=1183 |archive-date=23 February 2011 |url-status=dead}}

AHL teams scheduled two outdoor games for the 2011–12 season, one in the United States and another in Canada (a first for the series).

The first of the two was played on January 6, 2012 at Citizens Bank Park in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The Adirondack Phantoms (who previously played in Philadelphia and are the top affiliate for the Philadelphia Flyers), faced the Hershey Bears (themselves a former Flyers farm club). The Phantoms scored with 20.8 seconds left in regulation to send it to overtime before Shane Harper scored 58 seconds into overtime giving the Phantoms a 4–3 victory. The game was held in conjunction with the 2012 NHL Winter Classic, which took place at the same venue four days prior.{{cite web|last=NHL.com|title=Flyers' AHL team to play outdoors vs. Hershey|url=http://www.nhl.com/ice/news.htm?id=589945|access-date=September 26, 2011}} The game set an AHL attendance record with 45,653 fans attending, more than double the previous record.{{cite news|title=Record crowd watches AHL outdoor game |url=https://www.theglobeandmail.com/sports/hockey/record-crowd-watches-ahl-outdoor-game/article2294797/|access-date=January 7, 2012|date=January 6, 2012|work=Globe and Mail |location=Canada }}

Another outdoor game was held at Ivor Wynne Stadium in Hamilton, Ontario, which featured a match-up between the Toronto Marlies and the Hamilton Bulldogs, on January 21, 2012.{{cite web |url=http://www.thespec.com/sports/bulldogs/article/584476--it-s-a-classic-bulldogs-vs-marlies-at-ivor-wynne |title=It's a classic: Bulldogs vs. Marlies at Ivor Wynne |publisher=TheSpec |date=August 25, 2011 |access-date=April 12, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120305144833/http://www.thespec.com/sports/bulldogs/article/584476--it-s-a-classic-bulldogs-vs-marlies-at-ivor-wynne |archive-date=March 5, 2012 |url-status=dead }} A crowd of 20,565 spectators watched the Marlies beat the Bulldogs, 7–2. Included in the festivities were two college hockey games hosted by the Brock Badgers: a men's test against the Waterloo Warriors and a women's contest against the University of Ontario Institute of Technology Ridgebacks. The event was known as the Steeltown Showdown in reference to Hamilton's steel mills.

On March 24, 2012, the AHL and the Hershey Bears announced via Twitter that the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins and the Hershey Bears were to play the Capital BlueCross AHL Outdoor Classic on January 20, 2013. The game was played at Hersheypark Stadium in Hershey, Pennsylvania.{{cite web|title=Bears, Penguins to head outside|url=http://theahl.com/bears-penguins-to-head-outside-p176755|access-date=March 24, 2012|archive-date=March 27, 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120327212715/http://theahl.com/bears-penguins-to-head-outside-p176755|url-status=dead}} Hershey took the lead in the second period but the Penguins scored a goal in the third to send the game to overtime. Paul Thompson would score in overtime, winning the game 2–1 for the Penguins. The game was played before a crowd of 17,311 spectators.{{cite web |title=Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins – Hershey Bears game summary

|url=http://theahl.com/stats/game-summary.php?game_id=1010461 |date=January 20, 2013}}

As a result of the 2012–13 NHL lockout, a second planned outdoor game between the Grand Rapids Griffins and Toronto Marlies, to be held in Detroit's Comerica Park on December 30, 2012, as part of the NHL Winter Classic, was moved indoors to Grand Rapids' Van Andel Arena as a regular-season game for the Griffins.[http://redwings.nhl.com/club/page.htm?id=80959 The 2012 SiriusXM Hockeytown Winter Festival Refund Policy]. Retrieved November 2, 2012.[http://www.griffinshockey.com/news/releases/?article_id=2276 Comerica Park game cancelled] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140729025827/http://www.griffinshockey.com/news/releases/?article_id=2276 |date=July 29, 2014 }}. Retrieved November 30, 2012.

{{see also|Frozen Frontier}}

The Rochester Americans hosted the Frozen Frontier on December 13, 2013, taking on the Lake Erie Monsters at Frontier Field. The game kicked off a 10-day festival that included college hockey games hosted by the Rochester Institute of Technology men's and women's teams, high school hockey contests, and a matchup between Americans alumni and the Buffalo Sabres Alumni Hockey Team. The Americans announced their participation on March 21, 2013.[http://www.seattlepi.com/sports/article/AHL-Rochester-Americans-to-host-outdoor-game-4373814.php AHL Rochester Americans to host outdoor game]{{Dead link|date=June 2023 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}. Associated Press. Retrieved March 21, 2013. Each team wore throwback uniforms for the event, with the Monsters donning a jersey worn by their predecessors, the Cleveland Barons.

One year after their game had been originally scheduled, the Grand Rapids Griffins hosted the Toronto Marlies at Comerica Park in Detroit on December 30, 2013, as part of the Hockeytown Winter Festival leading up to the 2014 NHL Winter Classic. The Marlies won in a shootout, 4–3, to become the first team ever to win two AHL outdoor games.{{cite web|url=http://theahl.com/marlies-edge-griffins-at-comerica-park-p189502|title=Marlies edge Griffins at Comerica Park|website=theahl.com|access-date=April 19, 2018|archive-date=April 9, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160409222255/http://theahl.com/marlies-edge-griffins-at-comerica-park-p189502|url-status=dead}}

In lieu of an outdoor game, the stadium showcase for the 2014–15 season was the Toyota Frozen Dome Classic, which was hosted by the Syracuse Crunch on November 22, 2014. The game was played at the Carrier Dome on the campus of Syracuse University and featured the Crunch defeating the Utica Comets 2–1 in front of 30,175 fans, an indoor attendance record for professional hockey in the United States.Kramer, Lindsay. [http://www.syracuse.com/crunch/index.ssf/2014/11/syracuse_crunch_vs_utica_comets_3.html#incart_river Frozen Dome Classic: Syracuse Crunch beats Utica Comets in front of record crowd at Carrier Dome]. The Post-Standard. Retrieved November 23, 2014.

On December 19, 2015, the Stockton Heat hosted the Bakersfield Condors in an outdoor game called the Golden State Hockey Rush at Raley Field in West Sacramento, California. Stockton defeated Bakersfield 3–2 in front of 9,357 fans.{{cite web |url=http://stocktonheat.com/news/grant-kylington-and-shore-lead-heat-to-3-2-win-at-raley-field/ |title=Grant, Kylington and Shore Lead Heat to 3-2 Win at Raley Field |publisher=Stockton Heat |date=December 19, 2015 |access-date=January 20, 2016 |archive-date=October 8, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211008204647/https://stocktonheat.com/news/grant-kylington-and-shore-lead-heat-to-3-2-win-at-raley-field/ |url-status=dead }} The game was originally scheduled for December 18 but was postponed due to rain.{{cite web |url=https://theahl.com/heat-condors-postponed-by-rain |title=Heat-Condors postponed by rain

}}

For the second consecutive season the AHL played an outdoor game in California. The Bakersfield Condors hosted the Ontario Reign on January 7, 2017, at Bakersfield College's Memorial Stadium in the Condorstown Outdoor Classic.{{cite web |url=http://www.bakersfield.com/Sports/2016/08/23/Condors-bringing-outdoor-hockey-to-Memorial-Stadium.html |title=Condors bringing outdoor hockey to Memorial Stadium |publisher=Bakersfield.com |date=August 23, 2016}} The game went on as scheduled despite the sometimes steady rain, which caused puddles to cover the ice. The Condors went on to defeat the Reign 3–2 in overtime.

The 2018 Capital Blue Outdoor Classic was hosted by the Hershey Bears as part of their 80th anniversary season. The game was held on January 20, 2018, at Hersheypark Stadium against the Lehigh Valley Phantoms.{{cite web |url=http://theahl.com/hershey-to-host-outdoor-game-in-2018 |title=HERSHEY TO HOST OUTDOOR GAME IN 2018 |publisher=AHL |date=February 25, 2017}} Alex Lyon made 41 saves as the Phantoms defeated the Bears, 5-2, in front of 13,091 fans.

A second outdoor event, in conjunction with the NHL 100 Classic, was also reportedly under consideration with the recently transplanted Belleville Senators potentially hosting the event at TD Place Stadium at Lansdowne Park, but did not materialize.{{cite web|first=Bruce|last=Garrioch|title=Senators Dec. 16 outdoor game against Canadiens caps off big anniversary year|url=https://ottawacitizen.com/sports/hockey/nhl/senatorsextra/senators-dec-16-outdoor-game-against-canadiens-caps-off-big-anniversary-year|website=Ottawa Citizen|publisher=Postmedia Network|access-date=18 March 2017}}

After two seasons without an outdoor game, the Utica Comets planned to host the AIS Empire State Classic between the Comets and the Syracuse Crunch on February 13, 2021.{{cite web |url=http://www.uticacomets.com/news/detail/comets-announce-2021-ais-empire-state-classic |title=COMETS ANNOUNCE 2021 AIS EMPIRE STATE CLASSIC |publisher=uticacomets.com |date=February 19, 2020}} The game would have been played at the Griffiss Business & Technology Park in Rome, New York. However, the game was canceled due to the delayed start to the 2020–21 AHL season due to the COVID-19 pandemic; it has yet to be rescheduled.

On March 4, 2023, the Cleveland Monsters hosted the Cleveland Monsters Outdoor Classic at Cleveland Browns Stadium against the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins.{{cite web |url=https://theahl.com/monsters-penguins-outdoor-classic |title=Monsters, Penguins to meet outdoors on March 4 |publisher=theahl.com |date=October 11, 2022}} The game was scheduled for 1:00 p.m., but the start was delayed until 6:00 p.m. due to unsafe ice conditions caused by increased sunshine throughout the morning.{{Cite tweet |author=Cleveland Monsters |author-link=Cleveland Monsters |user=monstershockey |number=20268980 |title=Due to increased sunshine within the past hour, current ice conditions require a delay in the start of today's game until approximately 6:00 p.m. Fans holding tickets to today's game may stay in the stadium or may leave and re-enter.|date=March 4, 2023}}

The Monsters went on to defeat the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins 3–2 in overtime. Official attendance was 22,875, the third-largest in league history, with several thousand fans still in attendance following the five-hour delay.{{cite web |url=https://theahl.com/monsters-prevail-in-outdoor-classic |title=Monsters prevail in Outdoor Classic |publisher=theahl.com |date=March 4, 2023}}

On January 13, 2024, Truist Field in Charlotte, North Carolina hosted the Queen City Outdoor Classic between the Charlotte Checkers and the Rochester Americans. In both the first outdoor game for the Checkers and first outdoor hockey game in Charlotte,{{cite web |url=https://theahl.com/checkers-to-host-outdoor-game-in-2024 |title=Checkers to host outdoor game in 2024 |publisher=theahl.com |date=April 18, 2023}} the Checkers defeated the Americans 5–2.{{cite web |url=https://theahl.com/checkers-best-amerks-in-queen-city-outdoor-classic |title=Checkers best Amerks in Queen City Outdoor Classic |website=TheAHL.com |date=January 13, 2024 |access-date=January 16, 2024}}

{{small|Bolded teams denote winners}}

• NHL Heritage Classic
• NHL Winter Classic
• List of outdoor ice hockey games

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{{AHL}}

{{NHL outdoor games}}