We have finally arrived at the Winter Classic. The Penguins will faceoff against the Boston Bruins at Fenway Park. It was 15 years ago the Penguins and Sabres kicked things off for the first ever Winter Classic. It is easy to forget nobody knew for sure if it was going to be a success or not. After the game there was no doubt the league was going to lean into it and here we are 15 years later.
If my count is right this will be the 36th outdoor NHL game and the sixth time the Penguins have been involved. It is the first matchup between Pittsburgh and Boston and while Fenway has certainly hosted this event before it hasn’t happened since 2010. So while the Penguins and Bruins have been a mainstay in the event over the years the current crop of players and coaches are still getting something different they haven’t experienced before.
For example, Mike Sullivan grew up in Massachusetts following the Red Sox. It is a huge deal to be playing in Fenway Park for him and his family.
“I think all of these are unique in their own way. That’s the beauty of them all. I think the is one might top them all. Obviously, I might be saying that from (some) bias.… — Mike Sullivan, on #WinterClassic at Fenway Park
— Rob Rossi (@Real_RobRossi) January 1, 2023
Mike Sullivan said he still gets chill taking his kids to Fenway Park. Says baseball was a big passion in his family.
— Rob Rossi (@Real_RobRossi) January 1, 2023
Called #WinterClassic a culmination of two loves: hockey, baseball.
Sidney Crosby’s first ever professional sporting event? Fenway Park with a quasi Pittsburgh tie in
Sidney Crosby said his first professional sporting event was a Red Sox game against Giants at Fenway Park. He said Barry Bonds hit a home run. #WinterClassic
— Rob Rossi (@Real_RobRossi) January 1, 2023
Jeff Petry’s kids are big baseball fans and they got to play catch in a way that hardly anybody has been able to do in the history of the park which is pretty cool
The Petry boys are HUGE baseball fans. Two of them brought their gloves onto the ice to play catch with Dad, and get the best of both worlds! pic.twitter.com/OqyXcmn31k
— Pens Inside Scoop (@PensInsideScoop) January 1, 2023
It’s Malkin time â° pic.twitter.com/IL3rrq7KCA
— Pittsburgh Penguins (@penguins) January 1, 2023
Now Alex Letang and Nikita Malkin are playing together 🥹 pic.twitter.com/ofDnzTaeBC
— Taylor Haase (@TaylorHaasePGH) January 1, 2023
As for the actual hockey, the Penguins will have their hands full. They head into this afternoon’s game on a three-game losing streak and have a Bruins team who currently hold the top position in the league standings.
Kris Letang made the trip to Boston, but he did not practice yesterday. Here are the lines
#Pens lines at skate:
— Josh Getzoff (@JG_PxP) January 1, 2023
Guentzel-Crosby-Rust
Zucker-Malkin-Rakell
McGinn-Blueger-Carter
Heinen-Poehling-Kapanen
(O’Connor)
Pettersson-Rutta
Joseph-Friedman
Dumoulin-Smith
Bryan Rust and Rickard Rakell have flipped for 5v5, Rakell will remain on the top power play for now.
Here are the Bruins lines
Prax lines:
— Fluto Shinzawa (@FlutoShinzawa) January 1, 2023
Marchand-Bergeron-DeBrusk
Zacha-Krejci-Pastrnak
Hall-Coyle-Frederic
Foligno-Nosek-Greer/Smith
Lindholm-McAvoy
Grzelcyk-Carlo
Forbort-Clifton
Zboril
Ullmark
Swayman
Enjoy the game
Thanks for reading!