2010 NHL Winter Classic

The NHL Winter Classic 2010 presented by Bridgestone was an outdoor ice hockey game between the Boston Bruins and the Philadelphia Flyers, which was held on January 1, 2010 at Fenway Park in Boston, Massachusetts as part of the NHL season 2009/10. It was the third edition of the NHL Winter Classic -mentioned series of outdoor games in the history of the National Hockey League after the Heritage Classic, which was held in Edmonton in 2003.

Stadium and environment

Stadium

→ Main article: Fenway Park

The match took place at Fenway Park, a baseball stadium in the district of the city of Boston Fenway, which is used by the Boston Red Sox of Major League Baseball. It was built in 1912 and is the oldest operating ballpark of North American professional league Represents the stadium was built as a baseball stadium, but more American football games have also been played in the arena. In addition, occasional concerts.

Side events

38,112 spectators watched the game in the stadium. In addition to playing a fan - festival took place in the vicinity of the stadium under the title Winter Classic Spectator Plaza, organized by the city of Boston, together with the League. Admission is free and the fans on December 31, 2009 and January 1, 2010 a framework program was offered, which included, among other appearances of former Bruins player, concerts and competitions.

Preliminary Program

In addition to the program outside of the stadium numerous events were also held at Fenway Park before the game. In a speech, the Mayor of Boston Thomas Menino told the January 1, 2010 Winter Classic Day in the city of Boston. Next to him also the Commissioner of the NHL Gary Bettman from home plate talking to the public. There was an appearance of originating from Boston band Dropkick Murphys, who played her song I'm shipping up to Boston.

The traditional Face Off, which actually takes place before the game was made ​​by former players Bobby Orr and Bobby Clarke. Orr was active from 1966 to 1976 for the Boston Bruins, Clarke played from 1969 to 1984 for the Philadelphia Flyers. Both were taken after their careers end in the Hall of Fame.

After the teams came onto the ice. Immediately before the game was followed by the national anthems. The anthem of the United States was sung by James Taylor, Daniel Powter interpreted the Canadian national anthem. After a fireworks display that was fired from the roof of the grandstand, the game began.

Reporting

The game was broadcast live in the United States by the NBC television network in Canada, CBC and RDS stations showed the game. In addition, the game over the league own fee-based portal NHL GameCenter was broadcast live on the Internet.

Sporty starting position

The Boston Bruins had already completed at this time of the season 39 of 82 games. They were with 20 wins, twelve losses and seven overtime defeats with 47 points in second place in the Northeast Division. The Philadelphia Flyers also had completed 39 matches and reached 18 wins, suffered two overtime defeats and 19 defeats. With 38 points, they were at this time on the third place in the Atlantic Division, tied with the Fourth New York Rangers. They had already exchanged in the course of the season their head coach.

In the two previous encounter between the two teams both times were gone the Philadelphia Flyers won the game in ice. On 23 October 2009 the Flyers were victorious in the domestic arena 4-3 in the shootout, on 15 December 2009 won the Flyers in Boston 3-1.

Game History

To match both teams wore jerseys that were inspired by her regular abweichten and historical jerseys of both teams. The home team ran on to the original club colors with dark yellow jersey and dark brown trousers, the logo on the chest bore the player for the first time in the season 1948 / 49th Designed the jerseys of Boston's former player Cam Neely. The white jerseys of the guest from Philadelphia were borrowed from the home jersey of the 1973/74 season.

The first third, in which were no gates, offered a Winter Classic premiere: Shawn Thornton and Daniel Carcillo fought the first fist fight in the history of an outdoor game in the NHL. Both teams were able to work out a few scoring chances. 15 minutes in, Philadelphia's Jeff Carter failed to goalkeeper Tim Thomas. In return, Michael Leighton parried a shot from Boston's Derek Morris from the blue line. Another chance the Flyers could not apply one minute before the end of third.

After 24:42 minutes Danny Syvret scored the opening goal for the Philadelphia Flyers. Bruins goalie Thomas was distracted by his opponent Scott Hartnell, he tried to push away, while Syvret withdrew from the blue line and struck by the schooner Thomas to score. In the 28th minute Claude Giroux could increase to 2-0 after a pass from Mike Richards free before Thomas, but the keeper parried his shot. Another chance for the Flyers Arron Asham had, the 34 minutes alone ran to Tim Thomas to Puck loss of the Bruins. After 40 minutes, the Philadelphia Flyers led 1-0, but they can also significantly higher take the lead through the clearer chances.

At the beginning of the third period had Bostons Marco Sturm a chance when he was still in the neutral third short withdrew outnumbered behind the center line and Michael Leighton put to the test. The puck came through Leighton saver, then unleashed but only on the outside of the post. In return, Scott Hartnell checked Boston's Tim Thomas, but this one managed to ward. Only after 57:42 minutes succeeded the Bruins the balance to 1:1. They had established themselves in the majority in the third of the guests and Derek Morris unlocked, which could fit across goal from the inside right. There, Mark Recchi was ready and met untenable for Leighton to 1:1.

In the first extension had the Flyers but could fend off a series of chances, the Bruins goalie Tim Thomas. After 1:57 minutes Marco Sturm succeeded in a turn, the winning goal when he takes on Flyers goalie Michael Leighton in goal past could accommodate a pass from Patrice Bergeron from a short distance.