The Lakehead Thunderwolves have had the best attendance in the CIS in each of their four years of existence. When Lakehead plays the Western Mustangs in London on January 29th at the new John Labatt Centre; the Mustangs are hoping to fill the new arena (capacity 9,008) to set a new OUA single game attendance record. The present OUA record was 4,500 set at Toronto's Varsity Arena for an OUAA final between York and Toronto in the 1970s. However, even if the Lakehead vs. Western game does break the OUA record; it will still be a fair measure less than the CIS record of 13, 354; set in 1985 when the University of Alberta played NAIT at Northlands Coliseum.
CIS MEN'S ICE HOCKEY SINGLE GAME ATTENDANCE
1) 13,354 - Alberta vs NAIT (ACAC); March 19, 1985 at Northlands Coliseum (Edmonton, Alberta)
2) 12,000 - Alberta vs Loyola; March 10, 1968 at Montreal Forum (Montreal, Quebec) - CIS University Cup championship game
3) 10,184 - Alberta vs NAIT (ACAC); February 2, 1986 at Northlands Coliseum (Edmonton, Alberta)
4) 10,152 - New Brunswick at Saskatchewan; March 25, 2000 at Saskatchewan Place (at Saskatoon, Saskatchewan)
5) 9,249 - Alberta vs Windsor; March 27, 1998 at Saskatchewan Place
6) 8,796 - Western Ontario at Saskatchewan; March 24, 2000 at Saskatchewan Place
7) 8,735 - Alberta vs Ferris State; December 28, 1992 at Chill Out '92 Tournament hosted by U of Saskatchewan at Saskatchewan Place (Saskatoon, Saskatchewan)
8) 8,434 - Windsor at Saskatchewan; March 26, 1999 at Saskatchewan Place
9) 7,875 - Moncton at Saskatchewan; March 27, 1999 at Saskatchewan Place
12) 7,842 - Acadia 12 vs Toronto 1; March 21, 1993 at Maple Leaf Gardens (Toronto, Ontario)
13) 7,511 - Acadia vs Waterloo; March 10, 1996 at Maple Leaf Gardens
14) 7,314 - Lethbridge vs Guelph; March 13, 1994 at Maple Leaf Gardens
15) 6,772 - Acadia at Saskatchewan; March 26, 1998 at Saskatchewan Place
16) 6,753 - Alberta vs NAIT (ACAC); February 16, 1989 at Northlands Coliseum (Edmonton, Alberta)
17) 6,708 - UQTR vs Calgary; March 23, 2000 at Saskatchewan Place
18) 6,682 - Moncton vs Guelph; March 12, 1995 at Maple Leaf Gardens
19) 6,260 - Alberta vs UQTR; March 26, 1999 at Saskatchewan Place
20) 6,059 - UQTR at Saskatchewan; March 28, 1998 at Saskatchewan Place
21) 5,918 - Alberta vs Moncton; March 28, 1999 at Saskatchewan Place
22) 5,733 - Guelph at New Brunswick; March 17, 1997 at Maple Leaf Gardens
23) 5,159 - New Brunswick vs Acadia; March 29, 1998 at Saskatchewan Place
24) 4,844 - Alberta vs New Brunswick; March 26, 2000 at Saskatchewan Place
Thanks to Steve Knowles and Claire Baillie for attendance information.