On the back of the success of the NHL's annual New Year's Day Winter Classic, the NHL has opted to provide six outdoor games in 2014, including the Winter Classic that took place on Jan. 1 and saw the Toronto Maple Leafs defeat the Detroit Red Wings 3-2, ,the new Stadium Series that will see some of the NHL's fiercest rivalries go outdoors at baseball stadiums all across the country with four different games taking place in New York City, Chicago and Los Angeles, and it all caps off with the Heritage Classic on March 2 in Vancouver.
The Anaheim Ducks and Los Angeles Kings kick off the Stadium Series at Dodgers Stadium on Saturday while the New York Rangers and New Jersey Devils clash at Yankee Stadium on Sunday and the Rangers meet the New York Islanders again there on Wednesday. The Chicago Blackhawks and Pittsburgh Penguins then faceoff at Soldier Field on March 1 before the Ottawa Senators and Vancouver Canucks wrap up the outdoor slate the following day on March 2 in the Heritage Classic. Before these fierce rivals go outside, here's a look back at some memorable moments that have heated up the NHL outdoors:
Sept. 27, 1991: Hockey In Sin City:
The Kings and Rangers played in the parking lot at Caesar's Palace in Las Vegas during the preseason of the 1991-92 season in an East vs. West outdoors exhibition game. The Rangers came out strong, picking up a 2-0 first period lead, but allowed five unanswered tallies by the Kings as Los Angeles rattled off three goals in the second frame and two in the third stanza--including one by the great Wayne Gretzky--en route to a 5-2 victory.
Nov. 22, 2003: The NHL Regular-Season Goes Outdoors In Edmonton:
In 2003, the first ever Heritage Classic brought regular-season hockey outdoors for the first time as the Montreal Canadiens and Edmonton Oilers braved the cold weather at Commonwealth Stadium in Edmonton in a game that saw the visiting Canadiens notch a 4-3 victory and spoil the Oilers' celebration of 25 years of existence in the NHL. Two goals by Yanic Perreault and Richard Zednik were enough to lift the Habs to victory. The Heritage Classic took place again in 2011 when the Calgary Flames hosted the Canadiens and won 4-0 at McMahon Stadium in Calgary.
Jan. 1, 2008: 'Sid The Kid' Makes The Spectacle At Ralph Wilson Stadium A Winter Classic:
On New Year's Day in 2008, the NHL launched its first ever Winter Classic from Ralph Wilson Stadium in Buffalo that saw the Sabres host the Penguins in front of a raucous crowd that at the time set an NHL attendance record. The snowy atmosphere provided a great enough backdrop for a memorable day, but the game that followed was a back-and-forth game that couldn't be settled in 60 minutes or the five minute overtime leading to a shootout that almost seemed scripted. With the score tied at 1-1 and the shootout also tied at 1-1, Penguins' captain and face of the franchise Sidney Crosby had a chance to seal it for his team. With the game on his stick, Crosby came in and scored on Sabres' goalie Ryan Miller, sealing the game for the Penguins and launching what has become a New Year's tradition for the NHL.
Jan. 1, 2010: Sturm Seals It For Boston In The Extra Frame At Fenway:
With the Bruins hosting the Philadelphia Flyers in the third ever Winter Classic, a tightly contested contest through three periods saw the game tied at one goal each after the Flyers struck first in the second period and the Bruins responded with a goal in the third period with time waning down in the game. The jam-packed crowd at Fenway Park watched on as Marco Sturm beat Flyers netminder Michael Leighton to seal the win for the home team.
Jan. 1, 2011: The Classic Goes Prime Time And Ovi And Crosby Take Their Rivalry Outdoors:
With two of the NHL's best players set to lead their teams into the 2011 Winter Classic, the NHL wasn't about to let weather concerns at Heinz Field get in the way. The league pushed back the slated 1:00 p.m. start as Alex Ovechkin and the Washington Capitals' clash with Crosby and the Penguins was moved to an 8:00 p.m. puck drop under the lights in prime time. In the end, neither man ended up with any points in the game, but it was Eric Fehr who shined, notching two goals and leading the Capitals to a 3-1 victory in Pittsburgh. The rivalry was so heated, there was no postgame handshake as there usually is.
Jan. 2, 2012: 'King Henrik' Shuts The Door On Briere, And The Rangers Skate On In Philadelphia:
Tensions were high between two division rivals as the Rangers were clinging to a 3-2 lead off of two goals from bruiser Mike Rupp of all people, when Rangers' defenseman Ryan McDonagh committed a penalty by covering the puck in the Rangers' crease during a Flyers' flurry with just 19.6 seconds remaining in the 2012 Winter Classic at Citizens Bank Park in Philadelphia. The Flyers were awarded a penalty shot and elected to go with Daniel Briere, who was subsequently denied by Rangers' backstop Henrik Lundqvist as New York held on to escape Philadelphia with two points.
Jan. 1, 2014: The NHL Packs Out 'The Big House' And Bozak Provides The Capper In A Thriller:
Fans had to wait an extra year after the 2013 lockout wiped out this matchup from the 2013 schedule, but it was all worth it in the end as an NHL attendance record was set at Michigan Stadium as a crowd of 105,491 hockey fans watched on when the visiting Toronto Maple Leafs and Detroit Red Wings hit the ice in snowy Ann Arbor. After the Red Wings opened up the scoring with a goal by Daniel Alfredsson, the Leafs stormed back with two goals to take a 2-1 lead before Detroit tied it late in the third. When overtime couldn't settle it, the stage was set for a shootout and with the game on his stick, Tyler Bozak--who had scored Toronto's second goal in regulation--beat Jimmy Howard to give Toronto a 3-2 win and kickoff 2014 in a great way for the NHL.
There have been many great memories made in the elements during outdoor games in the past, and with five more of these games set to be played throughout the U.S. and in Canada, there will be more great moments made with the Stadium Series and the Heritage Classic in 2014.
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