The 5th Annual Bridgestone NHL Winter Classic could not have been better. Two division rivals, both sitting one and two in the Atlantic Division standings, playing to the final whistle in front of over 47,000 fans at Citizens Bank Park.
The National Hockey League's outdoor gala had less problems with mother nature in Philadelphia than they did last year in Pittsburgh. With the game being scheduled a day later due to the NFL games, it gave the ice crew some time to keep the ice playable with mild temperatures and fear of rain in the forecast. Of course the league moved the game back two hours, with temperatures dropping later into the afternoon. Luckily not dealing a repeat of 2011, with heavy rain and temperatures in the 50's.
The spectacle of the game was as big as it has been in the past. Most in part to the Flyers and Rangers fans who keep it alive. Let's face it, the Winter Classic is a hot event that two of the 30 teams in the NHL hope to hold on New Years Day (or weekend). The 2nd annual alumni game bringing back some of the greats of Philadelphia and New York's hockey past had the Phillies ballpark filled to capacity on New Years Eve. Be honest, if you're a Flyers fan, you were somewhat excited to see Bobby Clarke and Eric Lindros skate together.
The drama leading up to the game heightens every year. The biggest concern is the weather on the day of the event. While many hope for snow and temperatures in the mid 30's (the ideal weather for the ice that was seen at the inaugural event in Buffalo), people in Philadelphia and Pittsburgh can tell you snow is not always in the forecast for the first day in January. The Pittsburgh Classic was the first one challenged by mother nature. Heavy rains and almost 60 degree weather threatened the game, with many hoping the game could continue. The game was moved to 8pm that night, creating a more dramatic atmosphere, and had Penguin and Capital fans sitting in rain during the third period. For the league, they were lucky to pull the game off that night.
Add HBO's "24/7" series into the equation and you have hockey drama at its most realistic and finest. How many teams let you into their locker room and their inner circle for a month? Especially two clubs like the Flyers and Rangers who are in the middle of an Atlantic Division dogfight with each other and the rest of their division. You see all of it, obscenities and all (especially former Capitals coach Bruce Boudreau). This will make you want to get HBO if you don't subscribe currently.
Now, onto the game. A first period filled with physical play that anyone would expect from two teams that have dropped the gloves in the first minute of their first two meetings this season. The Flyers got the home crowd going with Brayden Schenn getting his first NHL goal on a rebound. How excited would you be to score your first goal in the pros in front of 47,000 plus people at the age of 20? Schenn got to do it. Claude Giroux gave the Flyers some insurance with a goal set up by a breakout by Scott Hartnell to Maxime Talbot, who played in his third Winter Classic this afternoon, making it 2-0 Philadelphia.
While we are on the topic of former Pittsburgh Penguins, Mike Rupp, who had a fight in the 2011 Winter Classic, scored quickly and saluted the Flyer faithful, making it 2-1. If you were in line for hot chocolate and not in your seat for the beginning of the third, the game changed quickly. Rupp scored again and then Brad Richards, another Ranger pickup during the offseason, gave New York the lead within the first 6 minutes of the period. The last five minutes of the game had people glued to the TV. With minor penalties setting up a 4 on 4 situation, it created open ice and an opportunity for the Flyers to pull Babrovsky and try to tie the game. A penalty shot opportunity gave the Flyers a golden opportunity with less than 20 seconds left in the game. Briere went one on one with Henrik Lundqvist, who was a wall toward the end of the game and denied Briere on the penalty shot.
A tough one to swallow for the people of Philadelphia and a reason to celebrate for the Ranger faithful, both teams and their fans should take time to reflect on the experience, especially those who were lucky enough to get tickets. It's an event that someone like myself remembers when the game was held at Heinz Field. Despite the rain and the delayed start, it had all the elements of a memorable day. There was at least some flurries toward the end of the second period.
So where will the NHL Winter Classic be held in 2013? Let the campaigning begin.
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