Yellowknife (Dec 03/03) - Frank Stapleton was one of 57,000 lucky Canadians who watched hockey history unfold around him on Nov. 22.

He, along with Ron Delmage, were in Edmonton for the Heritage Classic after Stapleton won Yellowknifer's hockey puck contest.

"It was great, it was really interesting. But, it was really cold," said Stapleton.

Temperatures during the game dropped to -27 C and had fans wildly cheering while huddled beneath toques, scarves and multiple layers of clothes.

The weather also sent Stapleton and Delmage, hardened Northerners, running for cover before the end of the second hockey game between the present day Oilers and Habs.

"It was six hours in the cold," he said.

The cold, however, didn't deter a Canadian sporting event icon, the streaker.

"He was a 50-year-old from B.C. All he had on was a T-shirt and one sock and the sock was on his foot," said Stapleton.

Stapleton has been a hockey fan since he was six years old. Before moving to the North, he had season tickets to the Vancouver Canucks.

He remembers watching the alumni players when they played in the NHL and he said it was great to see them one more time.

"They are a lot slower than I remember. With the exception of Grant Fuhr and Bill Ranford, they could still play today I think," said Stapleton.

"The greatest thing was watching them clean the ice with shovels like they did in the old days. And, the players did it themselves. It was something to see these multi-million dollar players cleaning the ice."

Stapleton loved the feeling of being a part of history.

"The whole atmosphere, just being in the crowd with everyone cheering was great. This was hockey history," he said.

But, he added, as much as he hates the Oilers, he believes the event was created to celebrate hockey.

"Anything down the road won't be. Some of the other cities are talking about doing it. If any of them tries it I think it will be strictly for the money," he said.