Saturday's Stadium Series game between the Columbus Blue Jackets and Detroit Red Wings felt, in many ways, like a celebration of Columbus.
Perhaps the most famous band ever from Columbus, Twenty One Pilots, performed at the first intermission. 94,751 spectators – the second-largest crowd in NHL history – packed into one of the city's most famous landmarks, Ohio Stadium.
But nothing gave Columbus more reason to celebrate this year than Ohio State winning a national championship on the football field. As such, the Buckeyes were tied in closely with the event, none more so than when the team was honored on-stage in the south end of the field at second intermission as the Blue Jackets led 3-1.
Ohio State's national championship women's hockey, dance and cheer teams from the past year were also honored at second intermission before the football team took the stage.
Buckeye gridiron warriors were also involved in the opening ceremonies for the contest. Ohio State University president Ted Carter dropped the ceremonial first puck and was joined by kicker Jayden Fielding and linebacker Sonny Styles, the latter brandising the Buckeyes' College Football Playoff national championship trophy.
"It’s a great experience," Styles said in an interview with ESPN after the puck drop. "Heard a lot of great things about the Blue Jackets. This is my first game with the rest of the guys here. It feels good to be back in the Shoe, knowing we’ll be back here in the fall and trying to run it back, go back-to-back."
The CFP National Championship Trophy made a special appearance during the ceremonial puck drop at #StadiumSeries
— NHL (@NHL) March 2, 2025
: @espn https://t.co/S5tPrXCygm
: FX & @TVASports pic.twitter.com/X956EaIA6p
Styles added that he felt the support of Buckeye Nation throughout Ohio State's playoff run.
"I think we knew Buckeye Nation believed in us the whole way, and I think we believed in each other," Styles said. "We got knocked down against the team up north, but we got back up fighting. That’s our culture. We kept fighting, kept swinging. So the job’s finished, we’re excited to go do it again."
