2003 Heritage Classic

Template:Short description Template:Use mdy dates Template:Infobox ice hockey game The Heritage Classic was an outdoor ice hockey game played on November 22, 2003, in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada, between the Edmonton Oilers and the Montreal Canadiens. It was the first National Hockey League (NHL) game to be played outdoors as a part of regular season play. The Heritage Classic concept was modelled after the success of the "Cold War" game between the University of Michigan and Michigan State University in 2001.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

The event took place in Edmonton's Commonwealth Stadium in front of a crowd of 57,167, despite temperatures of close to −30 °C (−22 °F) with wind chill.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> It was held to commemorate the 25th anniversary of the Edmonton Oilers joining the NHL in 1979 and the 20th anniversary of their first Stanley Cup win in 1984. The CBC television broadcast drew 2.747 million viewers in Canada, the second-highest audience for a regular-season NHL game.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> This was the first NHL game broadcast in HD on CBC.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

Preliminary events

First, the MegaStars game was played between some of the best former players from both clubs. The Oilers were represented by the best players from their 1980s dynasty, led by Wayne Gretzky. The Canadiens were represented by players from their 1970s dynasty, led by Guy Lafleur, and a few members of the 1986 and 1993 championship squads. Both teams were composed of players who had won Stanley Cups with the Oilers or Canadiens, except for the Oilers' first NHL captain, Ron Chipperfield, and the Canadiens' Russ Courtnall, who Rejean Houle said was selected for his speed.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> Cam Connor and Mark Napier were the only players that played for both the Oilers and the Canadiens during their NHL careers; both played for the Canadiens during the game. Mark Messier, the only active player at the time, received special permission from the New York Rangers front office to compete for Edmonton in the game.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> The MegaStars game consisted of two 15-minute halves rather than three 20-minute periods, and was won by the Oilers by a score of 2–0. After the game, Messier jokingly called the low-scoring contest "a typical Oilers win," a reference to the numerous high-scoring games of the Oilers' heyday in the 1980s.

Regular season game

The second game was an official NHL regular season contest between the Edmonton Oilers and the Montreal Canadiens. Montreal won the game 4–3. Richard Zednik of the Canadiens scored the first goal of the game, and also scored the game-winner. Goaltender Jose Theodore wore a Canadiens tuque over the top of his goalie mask.<ref>Template:Cite AV media</ref>

The game was released to DVD by the CBC, and included special features such as player interviews.

Inspiration for ongoing outdoor games

The first NHL game to be played outdoors was a pre-season exhibition game on September 27, 1991, when the Los Angeles Kings played the New York Rangers outside Caesars Palace in Las Vegas.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Following the success of the 2003 Heritage Classic, the league moved forward with the periodic NHL Heritage Classic series, whichTemplate:Sndas of the 2023 Heritage Classic (in Edmonton, to mark the 20th anniversary of the original)Template:Sndhave each been hosted by a Canadian NHL team, at a venue in or near the host team's city.

In 2008, the league began the NHL Winter Classic series, an outdoor regular season game played annually on New Year's Day, which to date have all been hosted by an American NHL team, at a venue in or near the host team's city.

In 2014, the league instigated the semi-regular NHL Stadium Series, an outdoor regular season game, which to date have all been hosted by an American NHL team, at a venue in or near the host team's city.

Game summary

Scoring summary
Period	Team	Goal	Assist(s)	Time	Score
1st	No scoring
2nd	MTL	Richard Zednik (5)	Patrice Brisebois (7), Michael Ryder (7)	0:39	1–0 MTL
	MTL	Yanic Perreault (6) (PP)	Craig Rivet (8), Mike Ribeiro (11)	10:53	2–0 MTL
	EDM	Eric Brewer (1)	Jarret Stoll (1), Steve Staios (7)	13:45	2–1 MTL
3rd	MTL	Yanic Perreault (7)	Niklas Sundstrom (3), Craig Rivet (4)	2:22	3–1 MTL
	EDM	Jarret Stoll (4)	Steve Staios (8)	13:06	3–2 MTL
	MTL	Richard Zednik (6)	Sheldon Souray (3)	14:18	4–2 MTL
	EDM	Steve Staios (3)	Radek Dvorak (8)	14:57	4–3 MTL

Number in parentheses represents the player's total in goals or assists to that point of the season

Penalty summary
Period	Team	Player	Penalty	Time	PIM
1st	EDM	Cory Cross	High-sticking	13:49	2:00
2nd	EDM	Ryan Smyth	Hooking	9:31	2:00
	MTL	Chad Kilger	Hooking	11:42	2:00
3rd	MTL	Francis Bouillon	Roughing	12:58	2:00
	EDM	Jason Chimera	Roughing	12:58	2:00

Three star selections
	Team	Player	Statistics
1st	MTL	Yanic Perreault	2 Goals
2nd	EDM	Steve Staios	1 Goal, 2 Assists
3rd	MTL	Richard Zednik	2 Goals

Entertainment

During the pre-game ceremony, Wayne Gretzky's daughter Paulina Gretzky performed "I Will Remember You" by Sarah McLachlan while Oilers anthem singer Paul Lorieau performed "O Canada" in English and French along with a choir.

Team rosters

Montreal Canadiens
#		Player<ref name="ESPN">Template:Cite news</ref>	Position
5	Template:Flagicon	Stephane Quintal (A)	D
11	Template:Flagicon	Saku Koivu (C)	C
15	Template:Flagicon	Darren Langdon	LW
20	Template:Flagicon	Richard Zednik (A)	RW
22	Template:Flagicon	Steve Begin	C
24	Template:Flagicon	Andreas Dackell	RW
25	Template:Flagicon	Chad Kilger	LW
30	Template:Flagicon	Mathieu GaronTemplate:Ref	G
37	Template:Flagicon	Niklas Sundstrom	RW
38	Template:Flagicon	Jan Bulis	LW
43	Template:Flagicon	Patrice Brisebois	D
44	Template:Flagicon	Sheldon Souray	D
51	Template:Flagicon	Francis Bouillon	D
52	Template:Flagicon	Craig Rivet	D
60	Template:Flagicon	Jose Theodore	G
71	Template:Flagicon	Mike Ribeiro	C
73	Template:Flagicon	Michael Ryder	RW
79	Template:Flagicon	Andrei Markov	D
90	Template:Flagicon	Joe Juneau	C
94	Template:Flagicon	Yanic Perreault	C
Head coach: Template:Flagicon Claude Julien

Edmonton Oilers
#		Player<ref name="ESPN"/>	Position
1	Template:Flagicon	Ty Conklin	G
2	Template:Flagicon	Eric Brewer	D
10	Template:Flagicon	Shawn Horcoff	C
14	Template:Flagicon	Raffi Torres	LW
15	Template:Flagicon	Brad Isbister	LW
16	Template:Flagicon	Mike York	C
18	Template:Flagicon	Ethan Moreau (A)	LW
20	Template:Flagicon	Radek Dvorak	RW
21	Template:Flagicon	Jason Smith (C)	D
23	Template:Flagicon	Cory Cross	D
24	Template:Flagicon	Steve Staios	D
27	Template:Flagicon	Georges Laraque	RW
28	Template:Flagicon	Jason Chimera	C
32	Template:Flagicon	Scott Ferguson	D
34	Template:Flagicon	Fernando Pisani	RW
36	Template:Flagicon	Jarret Stoll	C
40	Template:Flagicon	Steve ValiquetteTemplate:Ref	G
47	Template:Flagicon	Marc-Andre Bergeron	D
83	Template:Flagicon	Ales Hemsky	RW
94	Template:Flagicon	Ryan Smyth (A)	LW
Head coach: Template:Flagicon Craig MacTavish

Template:Note Steve Valiquette dressed for the Edmonton Oilers as the back-up goalie and did not enter the game.
Template:Note Mathieu Garon dressed for the Montreal Canadiens as the back-up goalie and did not enter the game.

Scratches

• Montreal Canadiens: Donald Audette (ankle), Ron Hainsey (healthy), Marcel Hossa (healthy)
• Edmonton Oilers: Alexei Semenov (healthy), Tony Salmelainen (healthy), Peter Sarno (healthy)

Officials

• Referees — Dan Marouelli, Kevin Pollock
• Linesmen — Greg Devorski, Randy Mitton

See also

• 2003–04 Edmonton Oilers season
• 2003–04 Montreal Canadiens season
• List of outdoor ice hockey games
• List of ice hockey games with highest attendance
• Pond hockey

External links

• CBC build-up: Video Game Showdown
• Fuhr, Ranford shine at Heritage Classic
• Sabres to host Penguins at Ralph Wilson Stadium
• Ice is nice at Fenway for Bruins