MARQUETTE — The Buffalo Sabres and the Carolina Hurricanes have already left town, but the excitement and buzz from Tuesday night’s NHL preseason game at Lakeview Arena isn’t.

Thousands of people attended the festivities that were part of the arena being named the Kraft Hockeyville USA 2016 winner back in late April.

From the 5K run on Saturday, which raised $10,000 for the arena, to having two Stanley Cup winning franchises playing a game at Lakeview Tuesday night, Marquette Parks and Recreation Coordinator Andrew MacIver says all of the work that was put forth by everyone in the community was well worth it.

“From all of the staff from the city to the volunteers, all of those people who put all of that work and effort in and then walked into this building right before the game and when there’s NHL players skating on the ice and everyone was able to take a look around and see what this place looks like now, that was probably the best moment not just for myself but for everyone,” said MacIver.

When it comes to figuring out what to do with most of the prize money from winning the contest, MacIver said those decisions will be made at future committee meetings.