2009 NHL Winter Classic

The 2009 NHL Winter Classic, also known as the Bridgestone NHL Winter Classic 2009, was a specially staged National Hockey League regular-season game played outdoors on January 1, 2009 at 12:36 p.m. CST (1836 UTC) at Wrigley Field in Chicago, Illinois. The game pitted the Chicago Blackhawks, who normally play their home games indoors at United Center, against the defending Stanley Cup champion Detroit Red Wings in the 701st game between these rivals in the NHL's Central Division. The Red Wings won the game 6–4 despite falling behind 3–1 in the first period. This was the first Winter Classic to involve at least one of the Original Six teams, the only one to date to feature teams from the Western Conference, and the only one to date to not feature either of the teams from Pennsylvania.

The two teams wore vintage-style uniforms, using the current Reebok Edge equipment and material. The Red Wings wore a version of the sweaters worn by the Detroit Cougars in 1926–27, their first season in the NHL, but with their familiar "Winged Wheel" logo on the shoulders. The Blackhawks wore sweaters which were a mix of their 1936–37 sweaters and their 1937–38 sweaters, with the design from 1936–37 and the chest crest from 1937–38.

Read more about 2009 NHL Winter Classic:  Host Selection, Preparations, Pregame, Rule Changes, Media Coverage, Game Summary, Team Rosters, Lost Logo Challenge, See Also, External Links

Famous quotes containing the words winter and/or classic:

    The winter is to a woman of fashion what, of yore, a campaign was to the soldiers of the Empire.
    Honoré De Balzac (1799–1850)

    A classic is a book that doesn’t have to be written again.
    Carl Van Doren (1885–1950)