Hockey Team Classes Up Opening Game With Black-Tie Uniforms

— -- The Niagara IceDogs probably made some fans feel ashamed last night...not over the team's playing, but because the fans were under-dressed.

The players opened up their game against the Belleville Bulls with what can only be described as a very "classy" warm-up, sporting black tuxedo pants, red vests and bright red bow-ties with their logo pinned to their lapels.

"They came to watch a hockey game and all of a sudden, it's a gala," Bill Burke, the team owner, who dressed in black-tie himself, told ABC News. His wife, Denise, wore a white-tie outfit. Even the team's mascot, Bones, dressed up, as seen in the tweet below.

The switch from sweaty uniforms to chic black-tie was in honor of the team's first opening game in their new home arena, the Meridian Centre in St. Catharines, Ontario.

The warm-up consisted of 15 minutes of the decked-out players showing off their skills and being introduced to applause and loud cheers from the crowd.

"We looked at it like our Oscars and black-tie night," said Burke.

Even Gord Simmonds, the owner of the Bulls, got a kick out of it.

"What a top-notch surprise," Burke said he texted.

The team returned to their regular red, black and white uniforms for the game, but fans impressed by their class took to Twitter to complement the pre-game attire. The IceDogs even won the game, 7-4.