ORCHARD PARK, NY — The organizers of the inaugural international outdoor junior hockey game couldn’t have scripted a better afternoon of hockey. Cold temperatures, more than 45,000 passionate fans packed into the stands at New Era Field, and snow steadily falling throughout the game made for an exciting atmosphere felt throughout the stadium.

Add to that a storied rivalry between the United States and Canada, along with a comeback by the host team to tie the game, force overtime, and win the game in an eventual shootout, and you had all the makings of a memorable event.

Even with snow piling up on the ice, and stoppages taking much longer than usual to clean the ice surface from drifts of snow, the players seemed pumped and ready for action. A few bad penalties ended up costing Team Canada the game, as the US capitalized on their man advantages and swung momentum their way.

After the game, we had the chance to speak with Victor Mete, Ryan Poehling, and Brady Tkachuk; listen to the full interview audio below.

Post-game interview with Victor Mete:

Post-game interview with Ryan Poehling:

Post-game interview with Brady Tkachuk: