An American sports website has ranked the ‘Top 100 Stadium Experiences of 2016’ and a Maritime hockey team has cracked the top 50, beating teams like the Toronto Maple Leafs and Montreal Canadiens.

When the puck hits the ice at Halifax’s Scotiabank Centre, hockey fans come alive.

“This is the heart of hockey in Canada, this is Halifax, Nova Scotia, Moose Country rocks,” says Ian Robinson, Halifax Moosehead’s PA announcer.

The Halifax Mooseheads are a Quebec Major Junior Hockey League team that played its first season in 1994. Robinson has been the public address announcer for two decades and says it came as no surprise to learn the Moosehead fan experience was rated 39 out of 761 North America.

“It says a lot about our fans, and our team and you know, the product that we put on the ice each and every game,” says Robinson.

Writers visited stadiums across North America looking for the ultimate fan experience. When it comes to hockey, Halifax came 2nd in Canada, behind the Winnipeg Jets.

Toronto’s NBA team, the Raptors, were ranked 42nd, but the NHL’s beloved Toronto Maple Leafs and Montreal Canadiens didn't make the top 100.

“The fans love it here, it's great playing here,” says Joel Bishop, Halifax Moosehead. “Lots of places to go eat downtown before or after the game, I mean it's just a great spot to play.”

“Coming here this year, it didn't really surprise me, the atmosphere here is unbelievable and it all starts with the fans,” says Keigan Gates, Halifax Moosehead.

While the Mooseheads credit the fans for the high rating, the article focuses on the city’s atmosphere as a whole.

“My parents came up before the break and we went to a lot of different restaurants. You guys have a lot of, you know, the Stubborn Goat, and the Black Sheep, I don't know why you have all those animal names out there, great spots to eat,” says Gates.

Brian Urquhart, Mooseheads business operations VP, says the Herd brings in a large crowd every night, contributing to a community feeling.

“We're extremely fortunate to have a very loyal fan base that's here every game and they're pretty loud,” says Urquhart. “And the value of the ticket – all our tickets are under $19, so we like to think we offer pretty good value for the average fans.”

Those fans now can now proudly boast that their team provides one of the best sports experiences on the continent.

With files from CTV Atlantic's Suzette Belliveau