Recent NHL Outdoor Games

The Calgary Flames hosted the Montreal Canadiens in the 2011 Tim Hortons NHL Heritage Classic at Calgary's McMahon Stadium. A festive, sellout crowd of 41,022 braved cold temperatures on a sunny winter afternoon to see the home town team defeat the Canadiens 4-0. Rene Bourque scored twice for the Flames, who sported retro maroon and yellow uniforms, and goalie Miikka Kiprusoff made 39 saves to secure the shutout. The 2011 Tim Hortons NHL Heritage Classic marked the first regularseason NHL game contested outdoors in Canada since 2003.

2011 Tim Hortons NHL Heritage Classic

McMahon Stadium - Calgary, Alberta February 20, 2011 Montreal Canadiens vs. Calgary Flames Attendance: 41,022
Entertainment Performances by: Paul Brandt - Canadian National Anthem Thompson Square - United States National Anthem Allegiance Elite - Pre-Game Tokyo Police Club - First Intermission

The 2011 Bridgestone NHL Winter Classic was the most-viewed NHL regular season game in 36 years with an average of 4.5 million watching in primetime as the Washington Capitals defeated the host Pittsburgh Penguins in front of more than 68,000 at sold out Heinz Field. The game, originally scheduled for the afternoon, was played at night under the bright lights of Heinz Field after a storm brought rain and forced the delayed start time. After a scoreless first period, Evgeni Malkin got the party rolling at the 2:13 into the

2011 Bridgestone NHL Winter Classic

Heinz Field Pittsburgh, PA January 1, 2011 Washington Capitals vs. Pittsburgh Penguins Attendance: 68,111
Entertainment Performances by: Jackie Evancho United States National Anthem Steven Page Canadian National Anthem Hinder Pre-Game The Clarks First Intermission

second period when he scored the game-opening goal with a sweet breakaway. But the home team's lead lasted just 4:41, as forward Mike Knuble scored. At 14:45, Eric Fehr put Washington into the lead. Washington skated away with a 3-1 victory against the Pittsburgh Penguins. The January 1st game brought together two of the Leagues star players, pinned against one another, and provided an unforgettable experience to both. The 2011 Bridgestone NHL Winter Classic also brought to life an HBO special entitled 24/7 Penguins/Capitals: Road to the NHL Winter Classic which earned a Sports Emmy Award for outstanding edited sports special.

The 2010 Bridgestone NHL Winter Classic turned out to be the equivalent of a walk-off grand slam over the Green Monster at famed Fenway Park, according to the post-game coverage on NHL.com. After a magical day at Fenway Park, the third installment of the Bridgestone NHL Winter Classic firmly established the event as a national sports property. Demand for tickets exceeded 307,000 and 38,112 attended the game .

Bridgestone 2010 NHL Winter Classic

Fenway Park Boston, MA January 1, 2010 Philadelphia Flyers vs. Boston Bruins Attendance: 38,112
Entertainment Performances by: James Taylor United States National Anthem Daniel Powter Canadian National Anthem Dropkick Murphys Pre-Game

"The experience is once-in-a-lifetime," said Flyers coach Peter Laviolette. "Fenway Park. Bruins. Flyers. Forty-thousand people on a perfect day. You couldn't ask for anything better for the game of hockey. Marco Sturm's goal at the 1:57 mark of overtime capped a furious rally by the Boston Bruins, who defeated the Philadelphia Flyers, 2-1. The Flyers jumped out to a 1-0 lead in the second period when Danny Syvret scored his first NHL goal. The Bruins tied it up in dramatic fashion when Mark Recchi scored during a powerplay late in the third period.

Shawn Thornton fought Dan Carcillo 12 minutes into the first period as the two combatants became the first players to receive fighting majors in the three-year history of the Winter Classic.

Bridgestone NHL Winter Classic

Wrigley Field - Chicago, Illinois January 1, 2009 Detroit Red Wings vs. Chicago Blackhawks Attendance: 40,818
Entertainment Performances by: Jim Cornelison United States National Anthem Scotty Newlands Canadian National Anthem Northwestern Univ. Wildcat Marching Band First Intermission Northern Illinois Univ. Huskie Marching Band Second Intermission Ceremonial Puck-Drop by: Bobby Hull and Ted Lindsay

Historic Wrigley Field hosted the Bridgestone NHL Winter Classic on January 1, 2009. The 40,818 fans packing the ballpark and the thousands more on rooftops across the street enjoyed a fast-paced game played in comfortable 32-degree weather. The defending Stanley Cup champion Detroit Red Wings faced an early 3-1 deficit, but scored five unanswered goals to rally and defeat the hometown Chicago Blackhawks 64. Red Wings center Jiri Hudler scored two goals and goaltender Ty Conklin, starting his third regular-season outdoor NHL game, made 43 saves in Detroits victory. Despite his teams loss, Blackhawks right wing Patrick Kane relished the experience of playing in an outdoor game. "It's probably a once-in-a-lifetime thing for some of us, and I definitely cherished it," Kane said. "If I could ever play in a game like that again I'd definitely love to. It was really cool being out there."

Amp Energy NHL Winter Classic

Orchard Park, New York January 1, 2008 Pittsburgh Penguins vs. Buffalo Sabres Attendance: 71,217
Entertainment Performances by: Ronan Tynan God Bless America Doug Allen Canadian National Anthem Sam Roberts Second Intermission

A festive crowd of 71,217 fans the most-ever to watch an NHL game packed Buffalos Ralph Wilson Stadium on January 1, 2008, for the Amp Energy NHL Winter Classic, the first regularseason outdoor NHL game in the U.S. Played through a steady afternoon snowfall, the event took on a magical feel. In the end, the Pittsburgh Penguins topped the host Buffalo Sabres 2-1 in a shootout as the Penguins 20-year old captain Sidney Crosby finished the game in exciting fashion, beating Sabres goaltender Ryan Miller as the snow continued to fall. When you see 70,000 people jammed into a stadium to watch hockey its a good sign, Crosby said. The atmosphere and environment, I dont think you can beat that. Its something to look back on and say we had a lot of great memories being a part of it.

NHL Heritage Classic

Edmonton, Alberta November 22, 2003 Montreal Canadiens vs. Edmonton Oilers Attendance: 57,167
The NHL Heritage Classic was staged at Edmonton's Commonwealth Stadium on November 22, 2003. In the first-ever regular-season NHL game to be played outdoors, the Montreal Canadiens defeated the hometown Oilers 4-3 in front of a crowd of 57,167. Temperatures during the later part of the game dropped below zero. "Every guy in here knows how special this moment is," said then-Montreal defenseman Sheldon Souray. "It's something that we can look back on at the end of our careers and be proud that we were a part of." Edmonton's Shawn Horcoff added, "Walking out there for the first time was pretty amazing. Looking in the stands and seeing that many people, was such a big thrill, something that will probably never happen again."