Montreal hosted the first recorded indoor ice hockey game in 1875.
The match took place on March 3, 1875, at the Victoria Skating Rink, an indoor arena in Montreal, Quebec. James Creighton organized the game and captained one of the two teams. Each side had nine players, reflecting the less standardized rules of early hockey.
The game is historically important because it has a documented score and clear links to modern organized ice hockey. Earlier stick-and-ball games were played outdoors in Canada, including forms of shinny in Nova Scotia, where Creighton grew up. For the indoor match, players used a flat wooden block rather than a ball, partly to reduce the risk of injuries and broken rink windows.
A common mix-up is confusing the birthplace of hockey with the location of this particular milestone. Hockey-like games existed in several places, but Montreal’s Victoria Skating Rink is associated with the first recorded organized indoor game. The rink later became an important symbol in accounts of hockey’s development.