Fenway Park, which opened in 1912, is the oldest Major League Baseball stadium still in use today. Since 2003, every Boston Red Sox home game has filled capacity, shattering the MLB all-time record for consecutive sold-out games. With nearly a century of history and renowned features like the Green Monster in left field and the only manual scoreboard in the game, the world-famous Fenway Park is the perfect place for the 2010 NHL Winter Classic. The Classic will feature the Boston Bruins and the Philadelphia Flyers and is sure to be an exciting event for players and fans alike.
The Winter Classic serves as a special tribute to the origins of hockey: fast-paced neighborhood games played on frozen ponds and in backyards. "[The Winter Classic] is unique, but it goes to the very essence and roots of our game," NHL commissioner Gary Bettman told NHL.com. "It captures the imagination of the fans, and it also captures the imagination of the players, many if not most of whom learned to play hockey outside."
The first annual Classic was played on Jan. 1, 2008 in Ralph Wilson Stadium, the home of the Buffalo Bills, in Orchard Park, N.Y. It seemed as if hours of pregame snow would postpone the event, but the omnipotent hockey gods lifted the clouds and allowed the game to be played in clear conditions. In the matchup, which pitted the Pittsburgh Penguins against the Buffalo Sabres, Sidney Crosby scored a shootout winner in a deadlocked battle to give the Penguins a 2-1 decision. The game marked the first ever regular-season outdoor NHL game held in the United States and snatched the NHL record for attendance with an immense crowd of 71,217 fans.
Following its remarkable success in 2008, the NHL held another New Year's Day matinee in 2009 between the Chicago Blackhawks and the Detroit Red Wings. This matchup between two of the league's Original Six took place in Chicago's Wrigley Field, the second oldest ballpark in the United States. The Wrigley Classic saw the highest television ratings of any hockey game in 33 years, illustrating the growing public appreciation for the NHL's latest attempt to gain more viewers.
Philadelphia Flyers goalie Brian Boucher — a Red Sox fan himself — is especially thankful for the opportunity to play in this year's televised version of pond hockey, describing Fenway as a place where you go "to watch sporting events, not to take part in them." In a recent interview, Boucher spoke glowingly about the event.
"To see it at Wrigley Field, such a historic sporting venue, you're just like, ‘Wow, that's awesome,'" he told NHL.com. "I think every player probably watched that Winter Classic. If they didn't watch the whole game, they watched some of it … I never thought what it would be like to play in it, but now to have a chance to potentially play in one is really exciting."
Boston Bruins left winger Steve Begin, who grew up in Trois-Rivieres, Quebec, played hockey outdoors daily from the time he was five years old until he was 15. He also took part in the Heritage Classic in 2003 in Edmonton, Alberta as a member of the Montreal Canadiens.
"Every day I was outside," he told NHL.com in an interview. "Every day I would come back from school, eat and go to the outside rink. I would be there the whole night, come back home, do my homework and go to bed. Every day I was there, and I was so excited.
"I can't wait to play this one," he continued. "It's a great experience in front of, I don't know, 40,000 or something like that. It's something special. You want to show up for that game and you want to experience that day. It's magical."
As great an opportunity as it is for the players to play in the Classic, both teams also know that this is a regular season game with two points up for grabs.
The Bruins have battled back from a tough start to their season, having won five of their last six games. Boston traded young goal-scorer Phil Kessel to the Toronto Maple Leafs in the offseason and then was forced to cope with injuries to first-line center Marc Savard and fan favorite Milan Lucic. Savard, who signed a seven-year contract extension on Tuesday, has four points in five games since returning from an absence due to a broken foot.
On the other hand, the Flyers have lost five of their last six games after successfully winning seven out of eight before that. This inconsistency is in part due to injuries to superstars Simon Gagne and Danny Briere, but it mostly stems from an inability to play intense hockey for a full 60 minutes. The Flyers have, however, shown glimpses of being a Cup-worthy team on the backs of defensive stalwart Chris Pronger and acrobatic goaltender Ray Emery.
Both teams feature a physical style of play that is sure to excite the Fenway crowd on Jan. 1. The game is unlikely to be a blowout and is almost certain to be full of highlight-reel goals, saves and hits.
The Bruins and Flyers split last year's season series with two wins apiece, including a thrilling overtime victory by the Flyers in Boston last February. This year, the Flyers nabbed a 4-3 shootout win just three weeks into the season, the teams' only meeting thus far. The two squads will play again in two weeks, serving as the final preview for this year's Classic at Fenway.
