| 1 | A | B | C | D | E | F | G |
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| 2 | NHL outdoor games - List of NHL outdoor games |  |  |  |  |  |  |
| 3 | Date | Event | Site | Away team | Home team | Score | Attendance |
| 4 | February 2, 1954 | exhibition game | Marquette Branch Prison, Marquette, Michigan | Detroit Red Wings | Marquette Prison Pirates | N/A | 0 |
| 5 | April 9, 1956 | exhibition game | Conception Bay Sports Arena, Bay Roberts, Newfoundland | Boston Bruins | Bay Roberts, Brigus, Shearstown, Coley's Point (1 period each) | N/A | N/A |
| 6 | September 27, 1991 | exhibition game | Caesars Palace, Las Vegas, Nevada | New York Rangers | Los Angeles Kings | 5–2 | 13,007 |
| 7 | November 22, 2003 | Heritage Classic | Commonwealth Stadium, Edmonton, Alberta | Montreal Canadiens | Edmonton Oilers | 4–3 | 57,167 |
| 8 | January 1, 2008 | Winter Classic | Ralph Wilson Stadium, Orchard Park, New York | Pittsburgh Penguins | Buffalo Sabres | 2–1 (SO) | 71,217 |
| 9 | January 1, 2009 | Winter Classic | Wrigley Field, Chicago, Illinois | Detroit Red Wings | Chicago Blackhawks | 6–4 | 40,818 |
| 10 | January 1, 2010 | Winter Classic | Fenway Park, Boston, Massachusetts | Philadelphia Flyers | Boston Bruins | 2–1 (OT) | 38,112 |
| 11 | January 1, 2011 | Winter Classic | Heinz Field, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania | Washington Capitals | Pittsburgh Penguins | 3–1 | 68,111 |
| 12 | February 20, 2011 | Heritage Classic | McMahon Stadium, Calgary, Alberta | Montreal Canadiens | Calgary Flames | 4–0 | 41,022 |
| 13 | January 2, 2012 | Winter Classic | Citizens Bank Park, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania | New York Rangers | Philadelphia Flyers | 3–2 | 46,967 |
| 14 | January 1, 2014 | Winter Classic | Michigan Stadium, Ann Arbor, Michigan | Toronto Maple Leafs | Detroit Red Wings | 3–2 (SO) | 105,491 |
| 15 | January 25, 2014 | Stadium Series | Dodger Stadium, Los Angeles, California | Anaheim Ducks | Los Angeles Kings | 3–0 | 54,099 |
| 16 | January 26, 2014 | Stadium Series | Yankee Stadium, New York, New York | New York Rangers | New Jersey Devils | 7–3 | 50,105 |
| 17 | January 29, 2014 | Stadium Series | Yankee Stadium, New York, New York | New York Rangers | New York Islanders | 2–1 | 50,027 |
| 18 | March 1, 2014 | Stadium Series | Soldier Field, Chicago, Illinois | Pittsburgh Penguins | Chicago Blackhawks | 5–1 | 62,921 |
| 19 | March 2, 2014 | Heritage Classic | BC Place, Vancouver, British Columbia | Ottawa Senators | Vancouver Canucks | 4–2 | 54,194 |
| 20 | January 1, 2015 | Winter Classic | Nationals Park, Washington, D.C. | Chicago Blackhawks | Washington Capitals | 3–2 | 42,832 |
| 21 | February 21, 2015 | Stadium Series | Levi's Stadium, Santa Clara, California | Los Angeles Kings | San Jose Sharks | 2–1 | 70,205 |
| 22 | January 1, 2016 | Winter Classic | Gillette Stadium, Foxborough, Massachusetts | Montreal Canadiens | Boston Bruins | 5–1 | 67,246 |
| 23 | February 21, 2016 | Stadium Series | TCF Bank Stadium, Minneapolis, Minnesota | Chicago Blackhawks | Minnesota Wild | 6–1 | 50,426 |
| 24 | February 27, 2016 | Stadium Series | Coors Field, Denver, Colorado | Detroit Red Wings | Colorado Avalanche | 5–3 | 50,095 |
| 25 | October 23, 2016 | Heritage Classic | Investors Group Field, Winnipeg, Manitoba | Edmonton Oilers | Winnipeg Jets | 3–0 | 33,240 |
| 26 | January 1, 2017 | Centennial Classic | BMO Field, Toronto, Ontario | Detroit Red Wings | Toronto Maple Leafs | 5–4 (OT) | 40,148 |
| 27 | January 2, 2017 | Winter Classic | Busch Stadium, St. Louis, Missouri | Chicago Blackhawks | St. Louis Blues | 4–1 | 46,556 |
| 28 | February 25, 2017 | Stadium Series | Heinz Field, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania | Philadelphia Flyers | Pittsburgh Penguins | 4–2 | 67,318 |
| 29 | December 16, 2017 | NHL 100 Classic | TD Place Stadium, Ottawa, Ontario | Montreal Canadiens | Ottawa Senators | 0–3 | 33,959 |
| 30 | January 1, 2018 | Winter Classic | Citi Field, New York, New York | New York Rangers | Buffalo Sabres | 3–2 (OT) | 41,821 |
| 31 | March 3, 2018 | Stadium Series | Navy–Marine Corps Memorial Stadium, Annapolis, Maryland | Toronto Maple Leafs | Washington Capitals | 2–5 | 29,516 |
| 32 | January 1, 2019 | Winter Classic | Notre Dame Stadium, Notre Dame, Indiana | Boston Bruins | Chicago Blackhawks | 4-2 | 76,126 |
| 33 | February 23, 2019 | Stadium Series | Lincoln Financial Field, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania | Pittsburgh Penguins | Philadelphia Flyers | 4-3 (OT) | 69,620 |
| 34 | October 26, 2019 | Heritage Classic | Mosaic Stadium, Regina, Saskatchewan | Calgary Flames | Winnipeg Jets | - | - |
| 35 | January 1, 2020 | Winter Classic | Cotton Bowl Stadium, Dallas, Texas | Nashville Predators | Dallas Stars | - | - |
| 36 | February 15, 2020 | Stadium Series | Falcon Stadium, Air Force Academy, Colorado | Los Angeles Kings | Colorado Avalanche | - | - |

Question: what was the record  before Buffalo set the NHL record of 71,217 fans in the Winter Classic in 2008 ?
Answer: The 2003 Heritage Classic drew 57,167 fans, a league record that stood until 71,217 fans in Buffalo set another NHL record in the Winter Classic in 2008.