JANUARY 1 FIRST WINTER CLASSIC, 2008 As snowflakes dusted the ice at Ralph Wilson Stadium, home of the Buffalo Bills, the National Hockey League (NHL) couldn't have scripted a better backdrop for the inaugural Winter Classic, the first regular-season outdoor game played in the United States. Following regulation and five minutes of overtime, the Pittsburgh Penguins and Buffalo Sabres were still deadlocked at 1-1. Despite the drop in temperature and blowing snow, the more than 70,000 people in the crowd were fixated on Sidney Crosby as he approached the puck at centre ice. Crosby, the league's rising superstar, had the opportunity to put the game away with his shootout attempt. In that moment, it was difficult, even for the most ardent cynic, not to be nostalgic about hockey. As the snow sprinkled down, it hearkened back to hockey's roots on frozen ponds where many players experienced the game for the first time. Penguins forward Colby Armstrong, who scored the first goal in the game, later told reporters that it reminded him of his childhood, a sentiment that undoubtedly resonated with fans alike. Even Crosby, the league's best player, couldn't help but get caught up in the occasion.

Growing up in Cole Harbour, Nova Scotia, Crosby played hockey outside a lot, sharpening his skills, and now, on the NHL's biggest stage, it was reminiscent of those childhood memories. As he skated in on Buffalo goaltender Ryan Miller, Crosby skillfully shovelled the puck through snow that had accumulated on the ice. In a last-ditch effort, Miller tried to poke-check him, but Crosby evaded him and put the puck between his pads. As Crosby skated back toward his teammates, he gleefully raised his arms in jubilant celebration. In the years that have passed, the Winter Classic, along with the Heritage Classic and Stadium Series games, has brought the NHL outside. While some have argued that the frequency of these spectacles has made it impossible to recapture the magic from that moment in Buffalo, it's difficult not to get caught up in those games and think back to your own memories of playing hockey on an outdoor rink.