Once again, the Winter Classic was everything it was hyped up to be. Neither superstar (Ovechkin or Crosby) showed up big on the stat sheet, but the game definitely had a playoff vibe. Whether you sat through the rain at Heinz Field or watched at home, it was an enjoyable experience for many reasons...
Hockey Under The Lights: The NHL should make this a New Years Night game from now on. During the day is nice, but there's less college football to compete against at night. Also, how sweet did outdoor hockey under the lights look. The move was made due to weather, but this should be a permanent fixture at every subsequent Winter Classic.
Semyon Varlamov: One item that didn't get a lot of attention going in to the game was the Capitals goaltending situation. This has been a continuing theme for the Capitals all year. Both candidates are young (Both Varlamov and Neuvirth are 22) and both have had their peaks and valleys this season. Varlamov made 32 saves (many of them were tough) and played very well on a big stage. Semyon has given Caps coach Bruce Boudreau every reason to give him the chance to be the #1 guy this year.
Physical Play: The ice conditions didn't water down the physicality between these two hated rivals. The fight between the Pens Mike Rupp and Caps John Erskine (a great heavyweight bought) in the 1st period was a microcasm of the beating and banging that went on all game. The David Steckel hit on Sidney Crosby at the end of the 2nd period wasn't dirty. Crosby happened to be in Steckel's way. Crosby's comments on the hit after the game ""He got my head, for sure," Crosby said. "But I can't comment on it. I don't even know. Maybe it was so far behind the play the officials didn't see it." Stop being such a cry baby and look at the tape before you automatically assume that someone ran you.
Weather/Ice Conditions: No one expected rain and high 40s to be the forecast in early January in Pittsburgh, but that was the hand that was dealt. Both teams adapted to the conditions well. You could see some tentativeness with the puck in the 1st period on both sides of the ice, but the puck control and passing became better as time went on.
Eric Fehr: Good karma for Fehr. In the 3rd installment of HBO's 24/7 series, we see that him and his wife adopted a family for Christmas shopping and bought all the presents for a family. No, that has nothing to do with what happens on the ice, but he worked hard all game and took advantage of the opportunities given to him.
Marc Andre-Fleury: 29 Saves isn't bad at all and two of the goals he gave up were tough shots. But Fehr's goal to make it 2-1, that is just an awful decision by The Flower to go behind the net and play the puck in those conditions. Fleury is a good puck-handler and that is a big part of his game, but he has to be more aware of adjusting to the ice conditions.
Overall, the 4th Winter Classic was just as great as the previous three. Where they should do it next year, who knows? Do the Rangers fans finally get the game they've been wanting forever (it would have to be at Citi Field, Yankee Stadium has the Pinstripe Bowl going on the week leading up to the game and the new Meadowlands Stadium would be home for a Devils game, this isn't the Jets or Giants we're talking about here)? Maybe the Avs host a mile-high match-up? The Wild hosting an outdoor game in Minnesota, the Blues going to new Busch Stadium, there are many ways the NHL could go. It will be interesting to see who gets the 5th installment of the Winter Classic on 1/1/12.
Other random notes...
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