It was an emotionally charged and magical evening at Ohio Stadium.
Columbus won with 5–3, with the second-largest attendance figure in an NHL match ever.
I definitely knew that this day would be special, but I was still impressed, says Columbus team captain Boone Jenner to reporters afterwards.
What an atmosphere. What an experience for us. A fantastic day, he continues.
It was also an evening to honor and remember the late NHL star and former Columbus forward Johnny Gaudreau, who died along with his brother Matthew Gaudreau in a cycling accident in August last year.
Gaudreau's family led the players into the arena, with mom Jane and widow Meredith with their sons in their arms.
The attendance record for an NHL match was set on New Year's Day 2014 when Detroit played against Toronto at Michigan Stadium during the outdoor match Winter Classic, which drew a crowd of 105,491.
