Ohio Stadium packed with fans prior to the Columbus Blue Jackets Stadium Series game against the Detroit Red Wings on Saturday. The Blue Jackets defeated the Red Wings 5-3. Credit: Carly Damon | Asst. Photo Editor
For many children who grow up in cold climates, a drop in temperature means lacing up their skates and taping their sticks before hitting the ice.
Though outdoor hockey is beloved among youth hockey players, teams have seldom experimented with outdoor events at the professional level. Thanks to a partnership between the NHL and Ohio State, the Stadium Series has now brought that opportunity to Columbus, Ohio.
For the first time in Ohio Stadium’s 103-year history, 94,751 fans packed the house for Saturday’s matchup between the Columbus Blue Jackets and Detroit Red Wings, marking the first-ever hockey game to take place in the ‘Shoe and the second largest crowd in NHL history.
Blue Jackets forward Boone Jenner said he originally couldn’t envision Ohio Stadium as a hockey environment. However, he said he was impressed by the outcome, especially because outdoor games are so rare in professional ice hockey.
“We came to a football game here as a team at the end of training camp, and it was tough to picture ice out there,” Jenner said. “So, to actually see it out there is pretty special; they did a good job. It’s something you don’t get to do very often in your career.”
Columbus defender Zach Werenski said despite being a Michigan alum, playing in Ohio Stadium holds great value for Ohio State, Columbus and the wider sports world.
“[There’s] no rivalry for me,” Werenski said. “It’s a historic venue, they’re national champs, there’s buzz around that. It’s great for our fans, for our city. It’s great for our team and organization. It’s always fun playing my hometown team, Detroit. So just the whole of that, for me, is super special.”
And for the Blue Jackets, Saturday became even more special.
Columbus took home a decisive 5-3 victory over Detroit, winning a crucial battle for the Eastern Conference’s top wildcard spot.
During the game, Werenski said he often found himself taking in the Horseshoe’s atmosphere and sheer volume of fans in attendance.
“There were definitely times I was looking around and just enjoying it — some of those things where it doesn’t happen every day,” Werenski said. “I just tried to enjoy it the best I could; realizing how many people are actually in the building and watching was special for sure.”
Forward Mathieu Olivier, who netted the Jackets’ third goal, said the game’s historic significance made his goal feel like the most important of his career. In addition, he said playing on such a large platform greatly benefited his team.
“That’s got to be probably the biggest goal in my career,” Olivier said. “As far as the stage that we’re on, it’s just kind of a stepping stone for our team.”
Notably, an outdoor hockey game wouldn’t have been possible without making several changes to the ‘Shoe’s infrastructure.
To prepare for the Ohio State football team’s College Football Playoff matchup against Tennessee Dec. 21, Ohio Stadium was winterized. This process modified the stadium’s facilities to ensure they can run smoothly in frigid temperatures, paving the way for more events — like the Stadium Series — to be hosted during colder months, university president Ted Carter Jr. said at a Feb. 19 media availability.
Carter said he looks forward to the future with the newly winterized stadium and expressed his excitement that the ‘Shoe finally hosted hockey, one of his favorite childhood pastimes.
“[It’s] the first hockey game in the 100-plus-year history of the Horseshoe right here, and it’s gonna be all Ohio State branding,” Carter said. “I’m very excited. I grew up playing hockey since I was 3 years old, [I] grew up on a pond, and I learned how to play hockey outside.”
The stadium’s interior was also changed significantly from football season.
The NHL’s collaboration with Ohio State for the Stadium Series resulted in a combination of professional and collegiate representation.
The ice rink, positioned in the center of the ‘Shoe, was framed by a large scarlet Block “O.” The Blue Jackets’ signature cannon, and the team’s alternate logo, were placed just below the ice; on top, the two competitors’ emblems were placed in symmetry with one another.
Decals of Buckeye leafs, the CBJ cannon and the NHL logo spotted the southern floor of the stadium, next to a stage that would host Columbus-born music duo Twenty One Pilots’ halftime performance.
Athletic director Ross Bjork said the NHL embraced the Buckeye identity, allowing for a joint venture that put nearly 95,000 hockey fans in the ‘Shoe.
“All of those elements, to be able to show off not only the stadium but also the brand power of Ohio State, coupled with the NHL, coupled with the Blue Jackets, tells a great message and a great storytelling moment, especially in a historic stadium like this,” Bjork said.
NHL President Steve Mayer agreed with Bjork, emphasizing the deep history of Ohio Stadium and the importance of the NHL’s partnership with Ohio State.
“The stadium itself, for me as a sports fan, is an iconic place,” Mayer said. “I watched some incredible sporting events take place in this building, and it’s special to be here.”
Mayer said he was blown away with the attendance for Saturday’s battle, as it serves as a testament to Columbus’ status as an important and enthusiastic sports city.
“At the end of the day, [getting] that many people to watch an outdoor game, it’s so satisfying,” Mayer said. “It shows the strength of the NHL, the Columbus Blue Jackets, the stadium and the sports fans in Columbus.”
