While I am not a big hockey fan anymore (we can blame Peter Karmanos for moving the Hartford Whalers to North Carolina for that), I do enjoy the Winter Classic games that the NHL has put on in the past few years.
It started in 2008 at Ralph Wilson Stadium in Buffalo, NY with the Pittsburgh Penguins beating the Buffalo Sabres 2-1. Last year, it was held at Wrigley Field in Chicago where the Detroit Red Wings beat the Chicago Blackhawks 6-4.
In keeping with the baseball park theme, the NHL has decided to host the Winter Classic at Fenway Park on New Year’s Day 2010 at 1 PM. It wasn’t too much of a secret though as the news leaked out in May that the Fens would be hosting the game.
Of course the Boston Bruins will be the hosts and they will be taking on the Philadelphia Flyers.
“A unique event deserves a unique venue, and we are delighted the Bruins and Flyers will renew their rivalry, with the ‘Green Monster’ providing the backdrop,” NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman said. “We welcome our fans, our teams, our sponsors and the great city of Boston to this annual celebration of our sport.”
Boston Red Sox owner John Henry had this to add:
“On behalf [of] the entire Boston Red Sox organization, I want to express our sincere thanks to the National Hockey League and the Boston Bruins for selecting Fenway Park as the site for the 2010 Bridgestone/NHL Winter Classic. From the day we arrived at Fenway Park, our ownership group has been committed to preserving and protecting this historic venue, and we have taken extraordinary steps to ensure it can serve fans for generations to come.”
Ticket pricing and when the tickets would go on sale for the event were not announced today. They will be announced at a future date.
Photo Gallery from today’s announcement [NHL.com]
