4 Jan
Once confined to dark and dingy arenas or frozen ponds, ice hockey and more specifically the National Hockey League (NHL) has discovered a new mainstream venue to display its brand of physically action and graceful and play. Beginning last season with a classic match-up of two of the original six teams – the Chicago Blackhawks and Detroit Redwings — the leagued launch the Winter Classic, a regular season game played outdoors in one of North America’s legendary sports venues. Keeping in the spirit of “home ice,” last year’s game took place at Wrigley Field, with both teams marching out across the covered infield to take the ice.
This season’s match-up featured another clash of two arch rivals as the Washington Capitals traveled to Pittsburgh’s Heinz field to battle the Penguins. Beyond the thrill of players and fans who enjoyed this rare moment of outdoor hockey, the addition of an HBO Sports documentary, chronicling both teams’ road to the Winter Classic, created a unusually excitement around the regular season match-up. While neither teams’ playoff destiny would be determined by the game and no one would leave the ice hoisting hockey’s legendary Stanley Cup, every one at the stadium or watching the telecast that day in January felt an incredible sense of exhilaration.
In just two seasons, the NHL’s mid-season event, has gone for another game of professional hockey, to a highly anticipated sporting event. This large national stage has in turned helped the sport once again reach out to new fans.