By Joe Paisley, CC Athletic Media Relations

Mike Testwuide created many special memories while wearing a Colorado College uniform.

He gets to experience another personal highlight when he plays in the American Hockey League's annual outdoor game at 5 p.m. MT Friday at Philadelphia's Citizens Bank Park, the site of the Bridgestone NHL Winter Classic last Monday.

His Adirondack Phantoms, the AHL affiliate of the Philadelphia Flyers, play the Hershey (Pa.) Bears in a game that's special for the former Tigers captain.

“It's going back to the tradition – the old-time roots of hockey,” Testwuide said earlier this week. “Every player has spent time growing up, playing with his friends. I still do when I get back home (to Vail) and can skate with my friends.”

He's fortunate to skate with a good friend all the time. Roommate Ben Holmstrom of Colorado Springs, a UMass-Lowell graduate, is a linemate for the Phantoms.

“He's been playing with me in most every game,” Testwuide said. “We have good chemistry on the line together. It's nice to have a friend and roommate willing to go to battle for each other.”

Testwuide, a second-year pro with Adirondack, is on a roll headed into Friday's contest.

The 6-foot-3, 210-pound right wing recorded just one empty netter in his first 24 games, but has four goals in his last six including the game winner in overtime on New Year's Eve.

That surge, starting with his first tally in almost two months just before the Christmas break, bumped his season points total to 15 (5g,10a) in 30 appearances. According to Testwuide, the pattern mimics his rookie season when his game blossomed during the second half.

“Things are kind of clicking and hopefully things will take off,” said Testwuide, who led all Phantoms rookies with 18 goals last season.

"His confidence is very high and it's big for our team because we haven't been scoring a lot of goals – they've been really hard to come by," Phantoms coach Joe Paterson told the Glen Falls (N.Y.) Post Star. "He's just goes to the net and he bangs rebounds.”

While Testwuide may be called up to the Flyers if he stays hot, reaching the NHL is not a primary focus for him.

“I'm concentrating on dominating the AHL game,” he said. “When the time's right, I'll be called up.”

In the meantime, he's working on his game and doing the best he can to keep up with the Tigers, who he says have the potential to go far this postseason.

He's enjoyed keeping up with sophomore wing Jaden Schwartz's World Junior Championships exploits as Canada's captain and sophomore wing Alexander Krushelnyski's overtime penalty-shot game winner against rival Denver last month.

“Jaden captaining Canada's world juniors team is pretty special," Testwuide said. "You see the names that have held that position over the years and it's impressive he's among them. Watching Krusher's goal is probably one of the best moments I've seen in my time around CC hockey.”

Colorado College fans may remember a special moment, too, when Testwuide's hat-trick goal on a penalty shot forced a 4-4 tie at DU during his senior campaign. That's one of his special memories as a Tiger.

On Friday, he'll soak in the experience of playing outdoors before the rowdy Philadelphia fans in what is expected to be a sellout.

“Watching the NHL classic was incredible – the fans were hyped,” he said. “We get to play on the same surface with a lot of the same fans there. The place will be full of excitement.”

The game, the third outdoor game in the AHL's history, will be televised live on The Comcast Network in Philadelphia and across Canada on Sportsnet, and web streamed on ahllive.com.

The game will be re-broadcast on the NHL Network in the U.S. at 2 p.m. MT on Saturday.