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2008 NHL Winter Classic

Coordinates: 42°46′26″N 78°47′13″W / 42.774°N 78.787°W / 42.774; -78.787
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2008 NHL Winter Classic
123OTSO Total
Pittsburgh Penguins 10001 (2/3) 2
Buffalo Sabres 01000 (1/3) 1
DateJanuary 1, 2008
VenueRalph Wilson Stadium
CityOrchard Park, New York
Attendance71,217
← None 2009 ⊟
Ralph Wilson Stadium is located in the United States
Ralph Wilson Stadium
Ralph Wilson Stadium
class=notpageimage|
Location in the United States
Ralph Wilson Stadium is located in New York
Ralph Wilson Stadium
Ralph Wilson Stadium
class=notpageimage|
Location in New York
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The 2008 NHL Winter Classic (known via corporate sponsorship as the AMP Energy NHL Winter Classic) was an outdoor ice hockey game played in the National Hockey League (NHL) on January 1, 2008, at Ralph Wilson Stadium near Buffalo, New York. It was the league's inaugural Winter Classic game, and was contested between the Pittsburgh Penguins and Buffalo Sabres; the Penguins won, 2–1, in a shootout on a goal by captain Sidney Crosby.[1] The event was the NHL's second outdoor regular season game (following the 2003 Heritage Classic in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada), and the first outdoor regular season professional ice hockey game to be played in the United States. Due to the snowy conditions, the game was at the time colloquially referred to as the "Ice Bowl" by residents of the area and Sabres' fans. The event was sponsored by AMP Energy,[2] and was televised in the United States on NBC and in Canada on CBC and RDS.

The game, which was played at a temporary ice rink built on the football field, set an NHL attendance record of 71,217.[3] The Sabres held a Winter Classic "house party" at HSBC Arena (now KeyBank Center) during the game where another 11,000 fans saw the game shown live on the arena's video scoreboard with synched-up audio from the team's radio coverage.[4][5] The Buffalo Sabres Alumni Hockey Team played a pre-game at the HSBC Arena as part of the house party festivities.[6] Buffalo Sabres anthem singer Doug Allen sang the Canadian national anthem, as is customary at Sabres home games.[7] Irish tenor Ronan Tynan performed "God Bless America" before the game at the stadium.

The success of the event has led to subsequent outdoor hockey games being scheduled and helped establish the Winter Classic as an annual NHL tradition.

Preparations

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Construction of the outdoor rink began on December 24, the day after the Buffalo Bills played their last home game of the 2007 NFL season.[8] It was built between the 16-yard lines of the football field,[1] under the supervision of NHL facilities operations manager Dan Craig. Initially, six inches (150 mm) of the nine-inch (230 mm) crown of the football field had to be leveled using styrofoam insulation. On top of the newly created flat surface, three inches (75 mm) of plywood with plastic covering were laid as a base for the necessary piping. At the same time the boards were being put in place, an inch of sand was spread amongst the piping and was then wet by a combination of hoses and timely rain so it could freeze into a rink overnight and be painted four days before the game.[9] Another ¾ of an inch of ice was added to complete the playing surface.[10]

After this experience, Commissioner Gary Bettman stated that the League would like more time to prepare the site for the next outdoor game.[11] He also wanted to ensure that not too many outdoor games are held so the event can remain special.[12]

Attendance

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View from inside the stadium during the opening ceremony

The game was attended by 71,217 people, setting an NHL attendance record.[3] The former NHL record of 57,167 was set at the Heritage Classic between the Montreal Canadiens and Edmonton Oilers in Edmonton, Alberta, on November 22, 2003.[8] Georges Laraque and Ty Conklin are the only two players who have played in both the Heritage Classic and Winter Classic games. They both played for the Oilers and Penguins, respectively, for each game.[13]

While it was the record for a professional game, it fell short of the then all-time number of 74,554, which was set in "The Cold War" between the University of Michigan and Michigan State University on October 6, 2001.[14] Sabres goaltender Ryan Miller and Penguins forward Adam Hall both played for Michigan State in that game.[15]

Approximately 41,000 tickets to the game were made available to the general public, selling out within 30 minutes of being made available on September 18, 2007.[16] In the face of controversy about the quickness of ticket sales, an official spokesperson for the Sabres called it "a testament to how popular the Sabres are and how many people want to be part of the event."[17] However, many Penguins fans were left out by not having the opportunity to purchase the tickets after they were made available to the city hosting the event, and they were frustrated by the lack of exclusivity for Penguins season-ticket holders.[18]

Terrence Pegula, who would go on to purchase the Sabres three years later, was among those in attendance.[19] Also in attendance was game show host Pat Sajak, who spoke positively of his experience (although admitting that Ralph Wilson Stadium's size was somewhat of a distraction from the game itself).[20]

Television and radio coverage

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The game was televised in the United States on NBC and in Canada on CBC and RDS. The game garnered a 2.2 rating and drew 3.75 million viewers.[21]

Westwood One carried a nationwide radio broadcast of the game, as did each team's local announcing team for local networks (Rick Jeanneret and Harry Neale for Buffalo, Mike Lange, Paul Steigerwald, and Phil Bourque for Pittsburgh).

NBC had an airplane flying overhead to provide bird's-eye views of the rink, including a live webstream from its camera throughout the game. NBC announcers Mike Emrick and Eddie Olczyk stood in a constructed perch on the penalty box side of the rink, while Darren Pang stood between-the-benches. Jim Hughson and Craig Simpson called the game in the broadcast booth for CBC, with Greg Millen between-the-benches.

Pregame

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Doug Allen sang the Canadian national anthem (O Canada) and Irish tenor Ronan Tynan performed "God Bless America" before the game. The U.S. national anthem ("The Star-Spangled Banner") was not performed. A military flyover was conducted by four UH-60 Blackhawk helicopters.

Rule changes

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The NHL also announced that several rule changes were in effect for this game, to nullify advantages to either team due to the weather conditions.[22] The teams switched ends halfway through the third period. Play was interrupted exactly at the 10:00 minute mark,[23] similar to the end of a period with a horn sounding,[24] a Zamboni resurfacing the ice, and a faceoff following at center ice. The overtime period was similarly divided into two 2:30 segments. In the shootout, each goaltender was permitted to choose which goal to defend, and they each chose the same goal, towards the west side of the stadium.[1]

Game summary

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Jan 1, 2008 Pittsburgh Penguins 2–1 (SO) Buffalo Sabres Ralph Wilson Stadium Recap

The teams wore vintage jerseys for the event, with the Penguins wearing powder blue jerseys for the first time since 1973. The Sabres wore their old white jerseys, which they wore from 1978 to 1996.[25] The game was part of the regular 2007–08 NHL season schedule, replacing a game that would have been held at HSBC Arena, the Sabres' regular home. In addition, the goaltenders also dressed in vintage style, with Ty Conklin and Ryan Miller both wearing retro-painted masks. Ryan Miller also wore a hockey sock on top of his mask,[1] which he changed during each intermission so he could auction all three of them off for charity along with his mask.[26][27] Penguins backup Dany Sabourin wore a set of vintage-styled pads but did not play.[28]

Weather for the game was appropriate to the winter setting it was intended to evoke, with game-time temperatures around the freezing mark and snow falling for much of the time, especially during the third period. The weather conditions made play somewhat more difficult for players but were well received by fans.[29]

The Penguins registered 25 shots on goal, and the Sabres had 37, dominating the second and overtime periods, leading those 14–2 and 7–0, respectively. Each goalie allowed one goal in playing time not including the shootout, giving Conklin 36 saves for the Penguins, and Miller 24 for the Sabres.

Scoring summary
Period Team Goal Assist(s) Time Score
1st PIT Colby Armstrong (6) Sidney Crosby (37) 0:21 1–0 PIT
2nd BUF Brian Campbell (4) Tim Connolly (23), Daniel Paille (11) 1:25 1–1
3rd No scoring
Overtime No scoring
Shootout Team Shooter Goaltender Result SO Score
BUF Ales Kotalik Ty Conklin goal 1–0 BUF
PIT Erik Christensen Ryan Miller miss 1–0 BUF
BUF Tim Connolly Ty Conklin save 1–0 BUF
PIT Kris Letang Ryan Miller goal 1–1
BUF Maxim Afinogenov Ty Conklin save 1–1
PIT Sidney Crosby Ryan Miller goal 2–1 PIT
Number in parentheses represents the player's total in goals or assists to that point of the season
Penalty summary
Period Team Player Penalty Time PIM
1st BUF Tim Connolly Hooking 4:22 2:00
BUF Maxim Afinogenov Hooking 7:16 2:00
BUF Thomas Vanek Holding 12:17 2:00
PIT Colby Armstrong Goaltender Interference 13:02 2:00
2nd No penalties
3rd PIT Colby Armstrong Hooking 20:00 2:00
Overtime No penalties
Three star selections
Team Player Statistics
1st PIT Sidney Crosby Game Winning Shootout Goal, 1 Assist
2nd PIT Ty Conklin 36 Saves (.973)
3rd BUF Ryan Miller 24 Saves (.960)

Team rosters

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^ Jocelyn Thibault dressed for the Buffalo Sabres as the back-up goalie and did not enter the game.
^ Dany Sabourin dressed for the Pittsburgh Penguins as the back-up goalie and did not enter the game.

Scratches

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Officials

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Future games

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Due to the success of the Winter Classic and its predecessor, outdoor games have been held during subsequent seasons, and the Winter Classic has become an annual NHL tradition. The next Winter Classic was held on January 1, 2009, at Wrigley Field in Chicago, matching the Detroit Red Wings against the Chicago Blackhawks.[32] Winter Classics have been held in every year since, except for 2013, which was interrupted by the 2012–2013 NHL lockout. Five Heritage Classics, one in 2011, one in 2014, one in 2016, one in 2019 and one in 2022 have been held since, with a sixth being planned for 2023. The league expanded its offerings of outdoor games with the introduction of the NHL Stadium Series in 2014. Since the inaugural Winter Classic, the NHL has held 34 additional outdoor games, which included the Winter Classic, the Stadium Series and the Heritage Classic, as well as one-off events like the Centennial Classic, NHL 100 Classic and NHL Outdoors at Lake Tahoe games.

See also

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References

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  1. ^ a b c d Podell, Ira (January 1, 2008). "Crosby lifts Penguins in Winter Classic". Associated Press. Archived from the original on February 10, 2008. Retrieved February 16, 2008.
  2. ^ "Sabres and Penguins to Play Outdoors on New Year's Day" (Press release). Marketwire. September 17, 2007. Archived from the original on December 18, 2007. Retrieved January 1, 2008.
  3. ^ a b Burnside, Scott (January 1, 2008). "Winter Classic: We're live from Buffalo". ESPN.com. Archived from the original on January 4, 2008. Retrieved January 1, 2008.
  4. ^ "Sabres to Host Winter Classic House Party". Buffalo Sabres. December 1, 2007. Archived from the original on January 2, 2008. Retrieved January 1, 2008.
  5. ^ "Happy, Happy New Year". January 2, 2008. Archived from the original on July 8, 2011. Retrieved January 15, 2008.
  6. ^ Pitts, Matt (January 1, 2008). "Fans Fill HSBC Arena For Winter Classic House Party". wgrz.com. WGRZ-TV. Retrieved January 1, 2008.
  7. ^ "Due to wind, Winter Classic will have different format than other games". canadaeast.com. Canadian Press. December 31, 2007. Retrieved February 7, 2008.
  8. ^ a b "Sabres to host Penguins in outdoor game". tsn.ca. Canadian Press. September 17, 2007. Retrieved January 1, 2008.
  9. ^ Rosen, Dan (December 27, 2007). "Rain, rain come our way!". nhl.com. NHL.com. Retrieved January 2, 2008.
  10. ^ Rosen, Dan (December 27, 2007). "Behind the ice". nhl.com. NHL. Retrieved January 2, 2008.
  11. ^ Erskine, Scott (January 26, 2008). "Bettman holds All-Star 'State of NHL' address". pa-sportsticker.com/en. PA SportsTicker. Retrieved February 1, 2008.
  12. ^ "NHL commissioner Bettman says outdoor game in Chicago would make sense". nhl.com. Canadian Press. March 5, 2008. Retrieved March 7, 2008.
  13. ^ "Laraque recounts the Heritage Classic". NHL.com. December 13, 2007. Archived from the original on January 7, 2008. Retrieved January 1, 2008.
  14. ^ "Recent outdoor games". nhl.com. NHL. September 17, 2007. Retrieved January 1, 2008.
  15. ^ Roarke, Shawn P. (December 10, 2007). "NHL players have fond memories of 'The Cold War'". nhl.com. NHL. Retrieved January 1, 2008.
  16. ^ "Winter Classic Tickets Soldout". Buffalo Sabres. September 18, 2007. Archived from the original on January 1, 2008. Retrieved January 1, 2008.
  17. ^ Mendola, Nick (September 17, 2007). "Gilbert Explains Winter Classic Tickets". wben.com. WGR 550. Retrieved January 1, 2008.
  18. ^ Rossi, Rob (September 19, 2007). "Fans outraged over Winter Classic ticket shortage". Pittsburgh Tribune-Review. Archived from the original on October 9, 2007. Retrieved February 22, 2008.
  19. ^ Sullivan, Jerry (2011-02-22). A plea to Pegula: Don't let us down. The Buffalo News. Retrieved 2011-02-22.
  20. ^ Super fan Sajak heading to Boston for Classic - 2010 Bridgestone NHL Winter Classic - Flyers v. Bruins
  21. ^ "Winter Classic Hits Lows in Ratings, Viewership". Sports Media Watch. January 3, 2016. Retrieved February 16, 2022.
  22. ^ "AMP Energy NHL Winter Classic third period will be two 10-minute segments". nhl.com. NHL. December 29, 2007. Retrieved January 1, 2008.
  23. ^ Molinari, Dave (December 31, 2007). "Winter Classic set up unusual". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Archived from the original on January 2, 2008. Retrieved January 1, 2008.
  24. ^ a b McKeon, Ross (January 1, 2008). "Live from the Winter Classic". Yahoo! Sports. Archived from the original on January 5, 2008. Retrieved January 1, 2008.
  25. ^ "Sabres and Penguins to sport retro look outdoors". Buffalo Sabres. November 9, 2007. Archived from the original on January 7, 2008. Retrieved January 1, 2008.
  26. ^ Starkey, Joe (January 2, 2008). "Pens' Conklin conquers Sabres again". Pittsburgh Tribune-Review. Archived from the original on January 7, 2008. Retrieved January 2, 2008.
  27. ^ Wheeler, Brian (December 26, 2007). "BTB Blog: Miller sports new mask for Classic". Sabres.com. Archived from the original on December 29, 2007. Retrieved January 2, 2008.
  28. ^ "Pens G Conklin gets starting nod, making him 2-for-2 in NHL outdoor games". Associated Press. December 31, 2007. Archived from the original on January 8, 2008. Retrieved January 2, 2008.
  29. ^ Dietsch, Richard (January 2, 2008). "The great outdoors". Sports Illustrated. Archived from the original on January 5, 2008. Retrieved January 2, 2008.
  30. ^ "Time On Ice Report Away Team". nhl.com. National Hockey League. January 1, 2008. Retrieved January 3, 2008.
  31. ^ "Time On Ice Report Home Team". nhl.com. National Hockey League. January 1, 2008. Retrieved January 3, 2008.
  32. ^ "Blackhawks to host Red Wings at historic Wrigley Field in NHL Winter Classic on New Year's Day". nhl.com. NHL. July 16, 2008. Retrieved July 17, 2008.
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