Knit hats fit snugly under helmets, a soft snowfall resurfaced the ice, and arguments of “nuh-uh” and “uh-huh” settled the majority of disagreements. The most egregious penalty was missing dinnertime.
Though players and coaches in the National Hockey League may never return to play at their neighborhood pond, the roots of the game remain the same.
Once every year, the National Hockey League hosts a game that takes the participants back to their beginnings. This, of course, is the Winter Classic.
Since 2008, the NHL has celebrated the New Year with a picturesque outdoor contest. Venues vary but the idea remains the same. It’s pond hockey with a much larger audience.
In the past, the Winter Classic has featured bitter rivals, determined to settle their grievance regardless of the surface. This year will be no different.
When the puck drops in Citizens Bank Field on January 2nd, the New York Rangers and the Philadelphia Flyers will square off in what is sure to be a display of the toughest brand of hockey.
This year, the Rangers have outscored the Flyers 6-2 on their way to a pair of victories. As expected of intra-division games, fisticuffs were as common as the unfriendly words that accompany them. On December 30, New York won the precursor to the Winter Classic, 4-2.
Much of the Rangers success can be attributed to goalie Henrik Lundqvist, who ranks third in the league in goals against average and save percentage. Offensively, right winger Marian Gaborik is tied for the league lead with 22 goals through 34 games.
Meanwhile, in Philadelphia, a Canadian by the name of Claude Giroux leads the NHL with 44 points. However, the city of brotherly love does not reserve all of its affection for one player. In the Flyers offseason overhaul, they brought former rival and longtime superstar Jaromir Jagr back to Pennsylvania.
Despite the talent on both sides, each team has suffered their share of setbacks. For the Rangers, it has been the absence of All-Star defenseman Marc Staal, whose return is indefinite, that has stung the team. In Philadelphia, the Flyers have been forced to cope with the knowledge that their captain, Chris Pronger, will not return for the remainder of the season.
With each injury, the teams are reminded of the spontaneity and uncertainty characterizes their sport. An outdoor game only adds to the variables subject to change the way the game plays out.
For now, New York and Philadelphia must remain focused and try not to let the nostalgia of the Winter Classic blur their vision of the ultimate goal. A task undeniably easier said than done.
How is it determined who plays in the Winter Classic?
ReplyDeleteEach year, after the Winter Classic, the NHL selects the teams to compete in next season's game. The selection process is probably very complex, but these are the parts that I understand.
ReplyDelete1. The host team must play in a cold weather city and have a venue capable of supporting the event.
2. The NHL tries to pick teams with national followings. For example, after this year's game, all four American teams from the "original 6" will have played in the Classic.
3. Rivalries draw a larger audience.
4. Each year, Canada hosts the Heritage Classic, an outdoor game exclusive to Canadian based NHL teams. There is no written rule, but it appears the NHL tries to feature American teams in the Winter Classic.
*Detroit is a favorite to host the 2013 Winter Classic. In this case the game would probably be played in Michigan Stadium.