League President Craig Cripps recognized the outstanding efforts of the executive committee for The Northern Classic in a special pre-game ceremony prior to Friday night’s playoff game in Fort McMurray. Sheldon Germain, Tim Reid, Terry Connors and Andrew Boutilier were presented with certificates of appreciation on behalf of the Alberta Junior Hockey League.
The weather co-operated, the home team won and it was standing room only at Canada’s first junior hockey game played outdoors on November 26th, 2010. The host Fort McMurray Oil Barons downed the Drayton Valley Thunder 4-2 on a rink constructed on a soccer pitch near downtown. The Northern Classic broke the previous Alberta Junior Hockey League’s attendance record of 4,400, drawing 5,726 fans.
