52-735: KeyBank Center is a multipurpose indoor arena located in Buffalo, New York , United States. Originally known as Marine Midland Arena , the venue has since been named HSBC Arena and First Niagara Center . Home to the Buffalo Sabres of the National Hockey League since 1996, is the largest indoor arena in Western New York , seating 19,070. It replaced the Sabres' former home, Buffalo Memorial Auditorium , where
104-568: A Zamboni resurfacing the ice, and a faceoff following at center ice. The overtime period was similarly divided into two 2:30 segments. In the shootout, each goaltender was permitted to choose which goal to defend, and they each chose the same goal, towards the west side of the stadium. The teams wore vintage jerseys for the event, with the Penguins wearing powder blue jerseys for the first time since 1973 . The Sabres wore their old white jerseys, which they wore from 1978 to 1996 . The game
156-482: A constructed perch on the penalty box side of the rink, while Darren Pang stood between-the-benches. Jim Hughson and Craig Simpson called the game in the broadcast booth for CBC , with Greg Millen between-the-benches. Doug Allen sang the Canadian national anthem ( O Canada ) and Irish tenor Ronan Tynan performed " God Bless America " before the game. The U.S. national anthem (" The Star-Spangled Banner ")
208-528: A multitude of spectators. The word derives from Latin harena , a particularly fine-grained sand that covered the floor of ancient arenas such as the Colosseum in Rome , Italy, to absorb blood. The term arena is sometimes used as a synonym for a very large venue such as Pasadena's Rose Bowl , but such a facility is typically called a stadium . The use of one term over the other has mostly to do with
260-424: A nationwide radio broadcast of the game, as did each team's local announcing team for local networks ( Rick Jeanneret and Harry Neale for Buffalo , Mike Lange , Paul Steigerwald , and Phil Bourque for Pittsburgh ). NBC had an airplane flying overhead to provide bird's-eye views of the rink, including a live webstream from its camera throughout the game. NBC announcers Mike Emrick and Eddie Olczyk stood in
312-519: A parking garage. Construction began in early 2013, while the restaurants and rinks opened in late October 2014. The elevated walkway connecting the KeyBank Center and LECOM Harborcenter buildings was completed and opened in early 2015, while the Marriott hotel opened in the summer of 2015. Also, after the 2011-12 Buffalo Sabres season , the Sabres added 380 seats, mainly as an additional row in
364-414: A set of vintage-styled pads but did not play. Weather for the game was appropriate to the winter setting it was intended to evoke, with game-time temperatures around the freezing mark and snow falling for much of the time, especially during the third period. The weather conditions made play somewhat more difficult for players but were well received by fans. The Penguins registered 25 shots on goal , and
416-621: Is a 10' high bronze statue of The French Connection . These renovations were completed in October 2012. The sixth update included multiple changes, including modifying the entrance pavilion due to the LECOM Harborcenter construction. That building is attached to the arena by an elevated walkway. LECOM Harborcenter is a mid-rise building with 2 hockey rinks, a Marriott hotel, retail space, IMPACT Training facility, restaurants including 716 Food and Sport and flagship Tim Hortons and
468-421: Is a large enclosed platform, often circular or oval-shaped, designed to showcase theatre , musical performances , and/or sporting events . It is composed of a large open space surrounded on most or all sides by tiered seating for spectators, and may be covered by a roof. The key feature of an arena is that the event space is the lowest point, allowing maximum visibility. Arenas are usually designed to accommodate
520-621: The 1998 NHL Entry Draft and the 2016 NHL Entry Draft . The arena hosted games three, four, and six of the 1999 Stanley Cup Finals . In 2003, the arena hosted the Frozen Four NCAA Ice Hockey tournament. From December 2010 to January 2011, the arena hosted the IIHF World Junior Championship tournament. During the 2012 NHL lockout , the arena hosted several Rochester Americans games and continues to host occasional Americans games at
572-618: The AMP Energy NHL Winter Classic ) was an outdoor ice hockey game played in the National Hockey League (NHL) on January 1, 2008, at Ralph Wilson Stadium near Buffalo, New York . It was the league's inaugural Winter Classic game, and was contested between the Pittsburgh Penguins and Buffalo Sabres ; the Penguins won, 2–1, in a shootout on a goal by captain Sidney Crosby . The event
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#1732779715012624-607: The 200 level, to raise the arena's capacity to 19,070. This number is symbolic of the team's founding in 1970. In 2013, the Buffalo Sabres announced that all 80 luxury suites would be renovated over a 3-year period. All suites will now feature the Sabres Blue and Gold color scheme, 50" TVs, new carpeting, new furniture and gathering islands. Construction began on this project in July 2013. The seventh update took place during
676-811: The NCAA in 2026. The arena was the centerpiece of a longshot bid to bring the National Basketball Association back to Buffalo by luring the Vancouver Grizzlies ; the Grizzlies instead relocated to Memphis, Tennessee in 2001. KeyBank Center has hosted professional wrestling events from WCW , WWE , and AEW . This included TV tapings of Monday Nitro , Raw is War , SmackDown , ECW , Superstars , Main Event , NXT , Dynamite , and Rampage . WCW produced
728-538: The Sabres had 37, dominating the second and overtime periods, leading those 14–2 and 7–0, respectively. Each goalie allowed one goal in playing time not including the shootout, giving Conklin 36 saves for the Penguins, and Miller 24 for the Sabres. Due to the success of the Winter Classic and its predecessor, outdoor games have been held during subsequent seasons, and the Winter Classic has become an annual NHL tradition. The next Winter Classic
780-551: The Sabres three years later, was among those in attendance. Also in attendance was game show host Pat Sajak , who spoke positively of his experience (although admitting that Ralph Wilson Stadium's size was somewhat of a distraction from the game itself). The game was televised in the United States on NBC and in Canada on CBC and RDS . The game garnered a 2.2 rating and drew 3.75 million viewers. Westwood One carried
832-464: The Winter Classic as an annual NHL tradition. Construction of the outdoor rink began on December 24, the day after the Buffalo Bills played their last home game of the 2007 NFL season . It was built between the 16-yard lines of the football field, under the supervision of NHL facilities operations manager Dan Craig. Initially, six inches (150 mm) of the nine-inch (230 mm) crown of
884-564: The annual Ilio DiPaolo Memorial Show at the venue between 1997 and 1999. In addition, the venue hosted several pay-per-view events including Fully Loaded (1999) , Fall Brawl (2000) , The Great American Bash (2005) , Armageddon (2008) , Night of Champions (2011) and Battleground (2013) . On April 8, 2017, KeyBank Center hosted UFC 210: Cormier vs. Johnson 2 , which was the first UFC event held in Buffalo for over 20 years. Performances from Barenaked Ladies ' October 9, 1998 concert at
936-538: The arena bowl. It replaced the red color used on the team logo from 1996 to 2006. The previous Sabres logo (known infamously as the "Buffaslug", and used from 2006 to 2010) was removed from the scoreboard and replaced with the current logo. All of the original TV sets were replaced with new HDTVs . New food choices were added as part of the upgraded concessions. Signage was replaced or upgraded where needed. Restrooms saw cup holders and HDTVs added for fan convenience. Also, new chimes were added, which sound two minutes prior to
988-525: The arena took place after the conclusion of the 1998-1999 hockey season. 95 seats were added behind the last row of the 300 level, raising the arena's hockey and lacrosse capacity from 18,595 to 18,690. The second update to the arena took place in 2002–2003, when the Sabres replaced matrix board on the face of the second bowl with a LED ribbon. The original seamless glass boards were also removed, and replaced with boards with clear plastic stanchions, which gave when players were hit into them. The third update to
1040-610: The arena took place prior to the 2007–2008 season. Two illuminated Sabres logos were added in the upper level of the pavilion on both sides of the Sports Headlines bar. Also, new LED ribbon boards were installed in the arena seating bowl in conjunction with the new HD scoreboard manufactured by Daktronics . In addition, the four main speaker racks were removed and replaced and two additional speaker racks were added. The new scoreboard features four large HD video screens, surrounded by two 360-degree LED ribbon boards. The bottom of
1092-400: The arena's name was changed to HSBC Arena, with the official renaming taking place on March 17, 2000. This name change coincided with the playing of the first college basketball tournament game in the arena's history. In 2011, Buffalo-based First Niagara Financial Group reached an agreement to purchase HSBC Bank's upstate New York and Connecticut branch network, including much of the core of
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#17327797150121144-682: The arena. In October 2014, the arena hosted its first Ontario Hockey League contest, a neutral-site game between the Erie Otters (who counted among its players marquee prospect Connor McDavid ) and the Niagara IceDogs . In 2019, the arena hosted the Frozen Four NCAA Ice Hockey tournament again for the first time in 16 years. The NBA carried over their annual preseason contest from Buffalo Memorial Auditorium with annual Toronto Raptors preseason games at
1196-525: The board features large Buffalo Sabres logos with giant sabres crossed behind them. The handles of the sabres are lit with blue LEDs. The Sabres logos shoot smoke out of the Buffalo's nostrils every time a Sabres goal is scored or when the Sabres win at home. Later in 2008, a mural was installed in the lower pavilion near the main entrance, containing pictures from the 2008 NHL Winter Classic held at Ralph Wilson Stadium, now known as Highmark Stadium , in nearby Orchard Park . The fourth update took place during
1248-502: The face of controversy about the quickness of ticket sales, an official spokesperson for the Sabres called it "a testament to how popular the Sabres are and how many people want to be part of the event." However, many Penguins fans were left out by not having the opportunity to purchase the tickets after they were made available to the city hosting the event, and they were frustrated by the lack of exclusivity for Penguins season-ticket holders. Terrence Pegula , who would go on to purchase
1300-464: The facility is called Cameron Indoor Stadium . Domed stadiums, which, like arenas, are enclosed but have the larger playing surfaces and seating capacities found in stadiums, are generally not referred to as arenas in North America. There is also the sport of indoor American football (one variant of which is explicitly known as arena football), a variant of the outdoor game that is designed for
1352-469: The floor and ceiling. Additional new facilities include a state of the art fitness center, new coaching offices, film rooms where players and coaches can watch previous games, and a players lounge with a kitchen and team chef. Also, the new Sabres locker room features a Wall of Fame featuring team history, the names and numbers of retired team jerseys. Limestones that were salvaged from the former Buffalo Memorial Auditorium are surrounded by glass, which features
1404-442: The football field had to be leveled using styrofoam insulation. On top of the newly created flat surface, three inches (75 mm) of plywood with plastic covering were laid as a base for the necessary piping. At the same time the boards were being put in place, an inch of sand was spread amongst the piping and was then wet by a combination of hoses and timely rain so it could freeze into a rink overnight and be painted four days before
1456-489: The game. Another ¾ of an inch of ice was added to complete the playing surface. After this experience, Commissioner Gary Bettman stated that the League would like more time to prepare the site for the next outdoor game. He also wanted to ensure that not too many outdoor games are held so the event can remain special. The game was attended by 71,217 people, setting an NHL attendance record. The former NHL record of 57,167
1508-429: The names of all team players throughout franchise existence. Visiting team locker rooms were also expanded from 3,230 to 3,511 square feet (300.1 to 326.2 m). Finally, a new post-game interview room was also built. In addition to the new locker rooms and training facilities, the public spaces within the arena were also upgraded. Also as part of the update, the arena took on the Sabres Blue and Gold color scheme inside
1560-566: The new venue. Canisius College played select home games at the arena from 1996 to 1998, moving there after decades at the Aud. However, they moved all games on campus to the Koessler Center after the 1997–98 season. The arena has been home to the NCAA ( 2000 , 2004 , 2007 , 2010 , 2014 , 2017 , 2022 ) and MAAC (1997, 1999, 2001, 2005) men's basketball tournaments. It will also host
1612-527: The number of light fixtures needed and reducing energy consumption. The arena’s main scoreboard and roof are both being replaced in the spring/summer of 2024. Naming rights were sold to Marine Midland Bank , part of the HSBC banking group in 1996, and the building was renamed Marine Midland Arena before the first game had been played. The bank bought the naming rights for 30 years then to expire in 2026. In 1999, as part of HSBC's worldwide corporate rebranding,
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1664-406: The old Marine Midland. While naming rights to HSBC Arena were not included in the sale, First Niagara, HSBC, the Buffalo Sabres and other parties reached an agreement to establish a new naming rights deal with First Niagara. The name of the arena became First Niagara Center that summer, with the official renaming taking place that fall. First Niagara bought the naming rights for 15 years, approximately
1716-520: The opening faceoff each period. This lets fans know to head towards the seating areas. Finally, the Sports Headlines bar has now been replaced by the Labatt Blue Zone. The ice rink itself also saw a multimillion-dollar upgrade with adding a new dehumidifier system and cooling tower. All of the Zamboni machines were replaced and upgraded to feature laser beam leveling. These upgrades improve
1768-480: The quality of the ice surface. Outside, a new LED ribbon board was added to the entrance pavilion which can display upcoming events, scores, and team information, though it was subsequently removed to make way for the construction of a new pedestrian bridge to the adjacent LECOM Harborcenter complex in 2014. The fifth update features the creation of the Tops Markets Alumni Plaza. In July 2012,
1820-461: The remainder of the time that was left on HSBC's naming rights deal with the arena. KeyCorp announced its plans to purchase First Niagara—and thus also the naming rights to the arena—on October 30, 2015. Although exterior signage was installed during the week of August 11, 2016, the renamed KeyBank Center became official on September 19, 2016. The venue hosted its first Buffalo Sabres regular season home game on October 12th, 1996. The arena hosted
1872-411: The space located between the arena's entrance pavilion and the parking ramp saw the concrete bridge columns covered with brick. All of the team members that the Buffalo Sabres have had throughout existence are now featured on plaques that are mounted to the bricks. In addition, fans of the Sabres are able to purchase custom plaques that will be featured alongside the team members. Alumni Plaza's centerpiece
1924-436: The summer and early fall of 2011. The major renovation included the demolition and installation of brand new locker rooms, decor and concession updates as well as fan enhancements. This $ 6 million locker room project led by Cannon Design of Grand Island saw an expansion from 8,000 to 15,220 square feet (743 to 1,414 m) in size. The new Sabres locker room is designed as a circular room, complete with illuminated team logos on
1976-435: The summer of 2016 on the exterior due to the renaming from First Niagara Center to KeyBank Center. The entrance canopies that featured hockey images were replaced. New exterior signage was installed during the week of August 11, 2016 and KeyBank debuted the rebranded arena on September 19, 2016. Also, a new LED lighting system was installed by Ephesus. This allows the arena to provide better lighting while significantly reducing
2028-936: The team played from 1970 to 1996. The venue is also home to the Buffalo Bandits of the National Lacrosse League . KeyBank Center was previously home to the Canisius Golden Griffins ( NCAA ), Buffalo Blizzard ( NPSL ), Buffalo Wings ( RHI ) and Buffalo Destroyers ( AFL ). In addition to concerts and professional wrestling, the venue has hosted major events including the NCAA Division I men's basketball tournament , 1999 Stanley Cup Finals , 2003 Frozen Four , 2011 World Junior Ice Hockey Championships , 2012 NLL All-Star Game , 2016 NHL Draft , UFC 210 , 2018 World Junior Ice Hockey Championships and 2019 Frozen Four . What
2080-517: The team's radio coverage. The Buffalo Sabres Alumni Hockey Team played a pre-game at the HSBC Arena as part of the house party festivities. Buffalo Sabres anthem singer Doug Allen sang the Canadian national anthem , as is customary at Sabres home games. Irish tenor Ronan Tynan performed " God Bless America " before the game at the stadium. The success of the event has led to subsequent outdoor hockey games being scheduled and helped establish
2132-497: The then all-time number of 74,554, which was set in " The Cold War " between the University of Michigan and Michigan State University on October 6, 2001. Sabres goaltender Ryan Miller and Penguins forward Adam Hall both played for Michigan State in that game. Approximately 41,000 tickets to the game were made available to the general public, selling out within 30 minutes of being made available on September 18, 2007. In
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2184-538: The type of event. Football (be it association , rugby , gridiron , Australian rules , or Gaelic ) is typically played in a stadium, while basketball , volleyball , handball , and ice hockey are typically played in an arena, although many of the larger arenas hold more spectators than do the stadiums of smaller colleges or high schools. There are exceptions. The home of the Duke University men's and women's basketball teams would qualify as an arena, but
2236-613: The usual smaller playing surface of most arenas; variants of other traditionally outdoor sports, including box lacrosse as well as futsal and indoor soccer , also exist. The term "arena" is also used loosely to refer to any event or type of event which either literally or metaphorically takes place in such a location, often with the specific intent of comparing an idea to a sporting event. Such examples of these would be terms such as "the arena of war", "the arena of love" or "the political arena". 2008 NHL Winter Classic The 2008 NHL Winter Classic (known via corporate sponsorship as
2288-563: The venue are featured in their 1999 documentary Barenaked in America . Avril Lavigne 's May 18, 2003 concert at the venue was released as Avril Lavigne: My World . A live recording of Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band 's performance at the arena in 2009 titled HSBC Arena, Buffalo, NY, 11/22/09 was released on December 24, 2016. The press box in the arena is named after former Sabres broadcaster and Hockey Hall of Fame member Ted Darling . Indoor arena An arena
2340-440: Was abandoned. On November 16, 1996, the arena's first JumboTron , an eight-sided scoreboard made by Daktronics with Sony video screens, fell to the ice while it was being remotely moved. This happened minutes after a few players ended practice and hours before a game between the Buffalo Sabres and Boston Bruins . Nobody was injured, but the game was postponed. The scoreboard was replaced later that season. The first update to
2392-659: Was held on January 1, 2009, at Wrigley Field in Chicago , matching the Detroit Red Wings against the Chicago Blackhawks . Winter Classics have been held in every year since, except for 2013, which was interrupted by the 2012–2013 NHL lockout . Five Heritage Classics, one in 2011 , one in 2014 , one in 2016 , one in 2019 and one in 2022 have been held since, with a sixth being planned for 2023 . The league expanded its offerings of outdoor games with
2444-405: Was not performed. A military flyover was conducted by four UH-60 Blackhawk helicopters. The NHL also announced that several rule changes were in effect for this game, to nullify advantages to either team due to the weather conditions. The teams switched ends halfway through the third period. Play was interrupted exactly at the 10:00 minute mark, similar to the end of a period with a horn sounding,
2496-529: Was originally known during construction as Crossroads Arena opened September 21, 1996, replacing the Buffalo Memorial Auditorium . The construction cost was $ 127.5 million, (approximately $ 248 million in 2023 dollars). The venue was named after its central downtown location, which was originally proposed as the site of a domed stadium in the 1960s for the Buffalo Bills and a potential Major League Baseball team before that project
2548-486: Was part of the regular 2007–08 NHL season schedule, replacing a game that would have been held at HSBC Arena , the Sabres' regular home. In addition, the goaltenders also dressed in vintage style, with Ty Conklin and Ryan Miller both wearing retro-painted masks. Ryan Miller also wore a hockey sock on top of his mask, which he changed during each intermission so he could auction all three of them off for charity along with his mask. Penguins backup Dany Sabourin wore
2600-719: Was set at the Heritage Classic between the Montreal Canadiens and Edmonton Oilers in Edmonton, Alberta , on November 22, 2003. Georges Laraque and Ty Conklin are the only two players who have played in both the Heritage Classic and Winter Classic games. They both played for the Oilers and Penguins, respectively, for each game. While it was the record for a professional game, it fell short of
2652-409: Was televised in the United States on NBC and in Canada on CBC and RDS . The game, which was played at a temporary ice rink built on the football field, set an NHL attendance record of 71,217. The Sabres held a Winter Classic "house party" at HSBC Arena (now KeyBank Center) during the game where another 11,000 fans saw the game shown live on the arena's video scoreboard with synched-up audio from
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#17327797150122704-458: Was the NHL's second outdoor regular season game (following the 2003 Heritage Classic in Edmonton , Alberta , Canada), and the first outdoor regular season professional ice hockey game to be played in the United States. Due to the snowy conditions, the game was at the time colloquially referred to as the "Ice Bowl" by residents of the area and Sabres' fans. The event was sponsored by AMP Energy , and
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