The
2009 NHL Winter ClassicThe NHL Winter Classic is an annual event held by the National Hockey League on New Year's Day where regular-season games are played outdoors, in areas hosted by NHL teams. Though largely derived from the Heritage Classic outdoor game held in Edmonton in 2003, the Winter Classic has so far only...
, also known as the
Bridgestone NHL Winter Classic 2009, was a specially staged
National Hockey LeagueThe National Hockey League is an unincorporated not-for-profit association which operates a major professional ice hockey league of 30 franchised member clubs, of which 7 are currently located in Canada and 23 in the United States...
regular-season game played outdoors on January 1, 2009 at 12:36 p.m. CST (1836
UTCCoordinated Universal Time is the primary time standard by which the world regulates clocks and time. It is one of several closely related successors to Greenwich Mean Time. Computer servers, online services and other entities that rely on having a universally accepted time use UTC for that purpose...
) at
Wrigley FieldWrigley Field is a baseball stadium in Chicago, Illinois, United States that has served as the home ballpark of the Chicago Cubs since 1916. It was built in 1914 as Weeghman Park for the Chicago Federal League baseball team, the Chicago Whales...
in
ChicagoChicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
,
IllinoisIllinois is the fifth-most populous state of the United States of America, and is often noted for being a microcosm of the entire country. With Chicago in the northeast, small industrial cities and great agricultural productivity in central and northern Illinois, and natural resources like coal,...
. The game pitted the
Chicago BlackhawksThe Chicago Blackhawks are a professional ice hockey team based in Chicago, Illinois. They are members of the Central Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League . They have won four Stanley Cup championships since their founding in 1926, most recently coming in 2009-10...
, who normally play their home games indoors at
United CenterThe United Center is an indoor sports arena located in Chicago. It is named after its corporate sponsor, United Airlines. The United Center is home to both the Chicago Bulls of the National Basketball Association and the Chicago Blackhawks of the National Hockey League...
, against the defending
Stanley Cup championThe 2008 Stanley Cup Final was a best-of-seven playoff series that determined the National Hockey League champion for the 2007–08 season. As a culmination of the 2008 Stanley Cup playoffs, the Western Conference champion Detroit Red Wings defeated the Eastern Conference champion Pittsburgh...
Detroit Red WingsThe Detroit Red Wings are a professional ice hockey team based in Detroit, Michigan. They are members of the Central Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League , and are one of the Original Six teams of the NHL, along with the Toronto Maple Leafs, Montreal Canadiens, New York...
in the 701st game between these rivals in the NHL's
Central DivisionThe NHL's Central Division was formed in 1993 as part of the Western Conference in a league realignment, the predecessor of which was the Norris Division.The Central Division consists of the Western Conference's easternmost teams.-Current lineup:...
. 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 SixThe Original Six is a term for the group of six teams that composed the National Hockey League for the 25 seasons between the 1942–43 season and the 1967 NHL Expansion. These six teams are the Boston Bruins, Chicago Black Hawks, Detroit Red Wings, Montreal Canadiens, New York Rangers, and the...
teams, the only one to date to feature teams from the
Western ConferenceThe Western Conference is one of two conferences in the National Hockey League used to divide teams. Its counterpart is the Eastern Conference....
, and the only one to date to not feature either of the teams from
PennsylvaniaThe Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is a U.S. state that is located in the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The state borders Delaware and Maryland to the south, West Virginia to the southwest, Ohio to the west, New York and Ontario, Canada, to the north, and New Jersey to...
.
The two teams wore vintage-style
uniformsPlayers in the National Hockey League wear a uniform which allows their team affiliation to be easily identified, unifying the image of the team...
, using the current
ReebokReebok International Limited, a subsidiary of the German sportswear company Adidas since 2005, is a producer of Athletic shoes, apparel, and accessories. The name comes from the Afrikaans spelling of rhebok, a type of African antelope or gazelle...
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-European tour:After the Stanley Cup final finished, the Detroit Red Wings and the Montreal Canadiens played a nine-game exhibition series in Europe, becoming the first NHL teams to play outside North America. Six games were played in England, three in France...
sweaters, with the design from 1936–37 and the chest crest from 1937–38.
Host selection
On May 29, 2008,
TSNThe Sports Network, commonly abbreviated as TSN, is a Canadian English language Category C specialty channel and is Canada's leading English language sports TV channel. TSN premiered in 1984, in the first group of Canadian specialty cable channels...
reported that Chicago was chosen to host the annual outdoor game over
New York CityNew York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
, the other host finalist for the game. A game in New York City would have been played at the original Yankee Stadium, which closed after hosting the
New York YankeesThe New York Yankees are a professional baseball team based in the The Bronx, New York. They compete in Major League Baseball in the American League's East Division...
from 1923-2008. Logistical concerns forced New York out because the stadium was to be demolished; if the game had been played at Yankee Stadium, it would have been the last event in that building.
Beaver StadiumBeaver Stadium is an outdoor college football stadium in University Park, Pennsylvania, United States, on the campus of The Pennsylvania State University. It is home to the Penn State Nittany Lions of the Big Ten Conference. The stadium is named for James A...
, the
second largest outdoor sports venue in North America and the home of the
Penn State Nittany Lions footballThe Penn State Nittany Lions football team represents the Pennsylvania State University in the National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I Football Bowl Subdivision as a member of the Big Ten Conference. It is one of the most tradition-rich and storied college football programs in the...
team, was also in consideration, with that location likely only if the two teams were the
Pittsburgh PenguinsThe Pittsburgh Penguins are a professional ice hockey team based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. They are members of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League . The franchise was founded in 1967 as one of the first expansion teams during the league's original...
and
Philadelphia FlyersThe Philadelphia Flyers are a professional ice hockey team based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. They are members of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League...
; because the Penguins had played in the previous Winter Classic, this scenario was ultimately rejected for 2009.
Original reports said the game was going be played at
Soldier FieldSoldier Field is located on Lake Shore Drive in Chicago, Illinois, United States, in the Near South Side. It is home to the NFL's Chicago Bears...
. However, the
Chicago BearsThe Chicago Bears are a professional American football team based in Chicago, Illinois. They are members of the North Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
objected to the use of Soldier Field, citing the potential to host a
NFLThe National Football League is the highest level of professional American football in the United States, and is considered the top professional American football league in the world. It was formed by eleven teams in 1920 as the American Professional Football Association, with the league changing...
playoff game on the following weekend. On July 6 the
Minneapolis Star Tribune reported that Wrigley Field, home of the
Chicago CubsThe Chicago Cubs are a professional baseball team located in Chicago, Illinois. They are members of the Central Division of Major League Baseball's National League. They are one of two Major League clubs based in Chicago . The Cubs are also one of the two remaining charter members of the National...
, was chosen to host the game. Ten days later, on July 16, the Blackhawks and the NHL confirmed the site and date. There had never been a hockey game at Wrigley Field in the past, and in addition, the rink was left up until January 4 for community skates at The Friendly Confines, with the $10 admission for an hour of skating donated to Cubs Care charities, which was sold out.
Preparations
Construction of the ice rink began on December 16, 2008, eight days earlier than last season's game. It was again being supervised by Dan Craig, the NHL's facilities operations manager. This time, the crew did not have to wait for any other sport to be played in the stadium, so there was more time to prepare the venue for the Classic. The rink was built from the bottom with
plywoodPlywood is a type of manufactured timber made from thin sheets of wood veneer. It is one of the most widely used wood products. It is flexible, inexpensive, workable, re-usable, and can usually be locally manufactured...
and aluminum panels, the latter of which have tubes to move
coolantA coolant is a fluid which flows through a device to prevent its overheating, transferring the heat produced by the device to other devices that use or dissipate it. An ideal coolant has high thermal capacity, low viscosity, is low-cost, non-toxic, and chemically inert, neither causing nor...
under the ice to maintain a cold temperature. The coolant comes from a truck based outside of the ballpark.
The NHL had a Spectator Plaza outside of Wrigley Field at the intersection of West Waveland and North Clark Streets. This included ticket giveaways, live music, interactive games, ice sculpting, and other entertainment on the day of the Classic.
The 95-year legacy of Wrigley Field as a baseball venue resulted in several nods to baseball. The exterior of the rink was decorated to resemble the low brick wall that fronts the box seating area at the ballpark. Cubs' Hall of Famers Billy Williams,
Ferguson JenkinsFerguson Arthur "Fergie" Jenkins, CM, is a Canadian former Major League Baseball right-handed pitcher. He was a three-time All-Star and the 1971 NL Cy Young Award winner. In 1991, Jenkins was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame. During a 19-year career, he pitched for four different teams,...
and
Ryne SandbergRyne Dee Sandberg , nicknamed "Ryno" is a former Major League Baseball second baseman. During a 16-year baseball career, he played from 1981–1994 and 1996–97, spending nearly his entire career with the Chicago Cubs. He was named after relief pitcher Ryne Duren, and is recognized as one of the best...
were on hand for the pregame ceremonies, along with several retired Blackhawks players. About halfway through the third period, Sandberg along with
Bobby HullRobert Marvin "Bobby" Hull, OC is a former Canadian ice hockey player. He is regarded as one of the greatest ice hockey players of all time and perhaps the greatest left winger to ever play the game. Hull was famous for his blonde hair, blinding skating speed, and having the hardest shot, earning...
,
Stan MikitaStanislav "Stan" Mikita , is a Slovak-born Canadian retired professional ice hockey player, generally regarded as the best centre of the 1960s. In 1961, he won the Stanley Cup with the Chicago Blackhawks, with whom he played his entire career.-Early life:Mikita was born in Sokolče, Slovak Republic...
and
Denis SavardDenis Joseph Savard is a retired Canadian professional ice hockey player. He played in the National Hockey League from 1980 to 1997, and was elected to the Hockey Hall of Fame in 2000...
sang a variation on "
Take Me Out to the Ball Game"Take Me Out to the Ball Game" is a 1908 Tin Pan Alley song by Jack Norworth and Albert Von Tilzer which has become the unofficial anthem of baseball, although neither of its authors had attended a game prior to writing the song. The song is traditionally sung during the seventh-inning stretch of...
" with a few word changes to reference hockey.
Pregame
The national anthems were performed by Scott Newlands (
O CanadaIt has been noted that the opening theme of "O Canada" bears a strong resemblance to the "Marsch der Priester" , from the opera Die Zauberflöte , composed in 1791 by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, and that Lavallée's melody was inspired by Mozart's tune...
) and Chicago Blackhawks anthem singer,
Jim CornelisonJames Cornelison is a tenor who sings The Star-Spangled Banner and O Canada at the beginning of home games for the Chicago Blackhawks. Cornelison started singing the anthem for the Blackhawks part time in 1996; he has been singing the national anthem for the Blackhawks full time since 2007...
(
The Star-Spangled Banner"The Star-Spangled Banner" is the national anthem of the United States of America. The lyrics come from "Defence of Fort McHenry", a poem written in 1814 by the 35-year-old lawyer and amateur poet, Francis Scott Key, after witnessing the bombardment of Fort McHenry by the British Royal Navy ships...
).
Rule changes
As with the 2008 game in
Ralph Wilson StadiumRalph Wilson Stadium is a football stadium, located in the town of Orchard Park, a suburb of Buffalo, New York. It is the home for the Buffalo Bills, of the NFL...
, the NHL announced a rule change to account for any possible adverse weather conditions. Taking into account high winds which are common during baseball games at
Wrigley FieldWrigley Field is a baseball stadium in Chicago, Illinois, United States that has served as the home ballpark of the Chicago Cubs since 1916. It was built in 1914 as Weeghman Park for the Chicago Federal League baseball team, the Chicago Whales...
, the teams changed sides at the first whistle after the halfway point of the third period. This was done at exactly the halfway point of the third in 2008 because of falling snow.
Media coverage
Television coverage of the game was handled in the
United StatesThe United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
by NBC.
Mike EmrickMichael "Doc" Emrick, is an American sports commentator noted mostly for his work in ice hockey. Emrick is currently the lead announcer for NHL national telecasts on both NBC and Versus...
, who is the lead announcer for NBC, was not able to call play-by-play for the game due to
laryngitisLaryngitis is an inflammation of the larynx. It causes hoarse voice or the complete loss of the voice because of irritation to the vocal folds . Dysphonia is the medical term for a vocal disorder, of which laryngitis is one cause....
. He was replaced by
Dave StraderDave Strader is an American sportscaster and currently is the #2 play-by-play announcer for NHL on NBC and NHL on Versus...
.
Ed OlczykEdward Walter "Eddie" Olczyk is an American former head coach for the National Hockey League Pittsburgh Penguins and former center for Toronto Maple Leafs, Winnipeg Jets, New York Rangers, Los Angeles Kings, Chicago Blackhawks and Pittsburgh Penguins...
,
Pierre McGuirePierre McGuire , is an ice hockey analyst for National Hockey League broadcasts on NBC and Versus in the United States. Until 2011, he was a prominent hockey analyst on The Sports Network in Canada. Previously, he was a player, coach, and scout.-Hockey career:McGuire won two Stanley Cups as a scout...
, and
Mike MilburyMichael Milbury is an American sportscaster currently working as an ice hockey analyst for the New England Sports Network , Hockey Night in Canada and the NHL on NBC. He played twelve seasons in the National Hockey League , all of them as a defenseman for the Boston Bruins...
again provided analysis. In
CanadaCanada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
,
CBCHockey Night in Canada is the branding used for CBC Sports' presentations of the National Hockey League...
carried the game in English and
RDSRéseau des sports , is a Canadian French language Category C specialty channel showing sports and sport-related shows. It is available in 2.5 million homes, and is owned by CTV Specialty Television Inc....
broadcasted in the French language. NASN televised the game live overseas in the United Kingdom, where it started at 6:00 p.m. local time. Additionally, NHL.com offered bonus video coverage. The radio feed was broadcast by
NHL RadioNHL Radio was the official national radio broadcaster of the National Hockey League, covering the All-Star Game, Stanley Cup Finals, both Conference Finals, selected early round playoff action, and the Winter Classic. The package was distributed by Westwood One and premiered in the 1992-93 season...
on
Westwood OneWestwood One was an American radio network and was based in New York City. At one time, it was managed by CBS Radio, the radio arm of CBS Corporation, and Viacom and was later purchased by the private equity firm The Gores Group...
throughout
North AmericaNorth America is a continent wholly within the Northern Hemisphere and almost wholly within the Western Hemisphere. It is also considered a northern subcontinent of the Americas...
, excluding the markets of the competing teams, and was carried by Sirius XM Radio. In addition, the American and Canadian versions of the NHL Network carried programming bookending the event starting with the practice sessions one day earlier, as well as the pre-game and post game events, and offered replays that weekend using both NBC's and CBC's feeds.
Television ratings
One reason that the NHL does the outdoor game is to promote the league on television. The television ratings will partially determine if the outdoor game events will continue. On January 3, 2009 NHL reported that the
overnight television ratings had increased 12% over the 2008 game. Nationally, the game had 2.9 overnight rating and a 6 share. In Chicago, Thursday's game drew a national high of an 11.8 rating and 21 share, with Detroit second at 10.5 and 21 (this despite that yet again, a Michigan-based team was playing in the
Capital One BowlThe Capital One Bowl is an annual college football bowl game played in Orlando, Florida at the Citrus Bowl, and previously known as the Tangerine Bowl and the Florida Citrus Bowl...
opposite the Winter Classic—this time the
Michigan State SpartansThe Michigan State Spartans football program represents Michigan State University in college football as members of the Big Ten Conference at the NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision level...
). Other above-average markets included Buffalo (whose 10.1 rating/20 share was comparable to Detroit's), St. Louis (5.3/10), Pittsburgh (4.4/8), Denver (4.2/10), Providence (3.5/7), Indianapolis (3.4/6), West Palm Beach (3.3/6), and Orlando (3.2/5). Each overnight ratings point equals about 735,000 TV homes. On January 12, the final ratings figure was announced. There was an average of 4.4 million viewers of the game on
NBCThe National Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network and former radio network headquartered in the GE Building in New York City's Rockefeller Center with additional major offices near Los Angeles and in Chicago...
, and this was the largest since the February 23, 1975 match between the
Philadelphia FlyersThe Philadelphia Flyers are a professional ice hockey team based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. They are members of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League...
and the
New York RangersThe New York Rangers are a professional ice hockey team based in the borough of Manhattan in New York, New York, USA. They are members of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League . Playing their home games at Madison Square Garden, the Rangers are one of the...
.
Game summary
The Red Wings dressed seven defensemen for this game, as they did in their prior game, to account for
Nicklas LidstromNicklas Erik Lidström is a Swedish professional ice hockey defenseman who has played his entire National Hockey League career with the Detroit Red Wings, and is their captain...
returning from an ankle injury. Healthy scratches were forward
Tomas KopeckyTomáš Kopecký is a Slovak professional ice hockey right winger, an alternate captain for the Florida Panthers of the National Hockey League .- Detroit Red Wings :...
and defenseman
Derek Meech. The Blackhawks scratched forward
Adam BurishAdam Burish is an American professional ice hockey centre who currently plays for the Dallas Stars of the National Hockey League.-Playing career:...
and defenseman Aaron Johnson.
Ty ConklinTy Curtis Conklin is an American professional ice hockey goaltender currently with the Detroit Red Wings of the National Hockey League....
started in goal for the Red Wings, making him the only player to take the ice for all three regular-season NHL outdoor games (after having played for the
Edmonton OilersThe Edmonton Oilers are a professional ice hockey team based in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. They are members of the Northwest Division in the Western Conference of the National Hockey League ....
in the
Heritage ClassicThe Heritage Classic was an outdoor ice hockey game played on November 22, 2003, in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada, between the Edmonton Oilers and the Montreal Canadiens. It was the first National Hockey League game to be played outdoors as a part of regular season play...
in 2003, and the
Pittsburgh PenguinsThe Pittsburgh Penguins are a professional ice hockey team based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. They are members of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League . The franchise was founded in 1967 as one of the first expansion teams during the league's original...
in the 2008 NHL Winter Classic).
The first three combined goals were scored on the
power play"Power play" is a sporting term used in various games.*In ice hockey, a team is said to be on a power play when at least one opposing player is serving a penalty, and the team has a numerical advantage on the ice...
. The Red Wings paid for a mistake while they were already shorthanded, having too many players on the ice, putting them down by two men. Rookie
wingerWinger, in the game of hockey, is a forward position of a player whose primary zone of play on the ice is along the outer playing area. They typically work by flanking the centre forward. Originally the name was given to forward players who went up and down the sides of the rink...
Kris VersteegKris Versteeg is a Canadian professional ice hockey winger currently playing for the Florida Panthers of the National Hockey League...
scored the first goal of the game for the Blackhawks with three seconds left in the two-man advantage. The Red Wings'
Mikael SamuelssonMikael Samuelsson is a Swedish professional ice hockey right winger currently playing for the Florida Panthers of the National Hockey League ....
scored with three seconds remaining on his team's second power play which was the result of a
Dustin ByfuglienDustin Ray Byfuglien is an American professional ice hockey player and an alternate captain of the Winnipeg Jets of the National Hockey League. His known nickname is "Big Buff," made up by his teammates...
roughing minor that was called during one of the many post-whistle scrums during the first period.
Martin HavlatMartin Havlát is a Czech professional ice hockey player currently playing for the San Jose Sharks of the National Hockey League .-Playing career:...
capitalized on another Red Wings mistake, scoring on the power play that resulted from
Brett LebdaBrett Steven Lebda is an American professional ice hockey defenceman. He is currently playing with the Springfield Falcons of the American Hockey League...
shooting the puck over the glass from his defensive zone.
Ben EagerBenjamin Eager is a Canadian professional ice hockey left winger who currently plays for the Edmonton Oilers of the National Hockey League .-Playing career:...
closed the scoring in the first period with a wrap-around goal.
Detroit scored the next five goals, the first two from
Jiri HudlerJiří Hudler is a Czech professional ice hockey player with the Detroit Red Wings of the National Hockey League. After beginning his career in the Czech Extraliga with Vsetín, Hudler was drafted by the Red Wings in 2002 and won the Stanley Cup with the club in 2008...
and the next from
Pavel DatsyukPavel Valerievich Datsyuk is a professional ice hockey player from Russia and alternate captain for the Detroit Red Wings of the National Hockey League . He is known for his stick-handling and is considered the best two-way forward in the game today, having won the Frank J. Selke Trophy in the...
at even-strength in the second period. Datsyuk's goal was hailed as being wind-assisted, since Datsyuk picked up a burst of speed as he went between two Blackhawks defenders to find a clear path to the net. In the third period, defenseman
Brian RafalskiBrian Christopher Rafalski is a retired American professional ice hockey defenseman who played 15 professional ice hockey seasons for five teams: 11 in the National Hockey League for two teams , three in SM-liiga for two teams prior to entering the NHL, and one in Elitserien for...
scored the eventual game-winning goal on the power play. 17 seconds later,
Brett LebdaBrett Steven Lebda is an American professional ice hockey defenceman. He is currently playing with the Springfield Falcons of the American Hockey League...
scored the Red Wings' final goal, chasing
Cristobal HuetCristobal Huet is a French professional ice hockey goaltender playing for Fribourg-Gottéron of the Swiss National League A, on loan from the Chicago Blackhawks of the National Hockey League. He developed his goaltending skills in Grenoble with Les Brûleurs de Loups. He has also played with the...
from the net, with
Nikolai KhabibulinNikolai Ivanovich Khabibulin is a Russian professional ice hockey goaltender currently playing for the Edmonton Oilers of the National Hockey League...
taking over for him. In his 16:36 of play, Khabibulin saved all 13 shots that he faced, after Huet saved 24 of 30 shots.
Duncan KeithDuncan Keith is a Canadian professional ice hockey defenceman who is an alternate captain for the Chicago Blackhawks of the National Hockey League...
closed the scoring for Chicago on the power play with less than ten seconds remaining. Conklin made 33 saves for the Red Wings on 37 shots.
Scoring summary
| Period |
Team |
Goal |
Assist(s) |
Time |
Score |
| 1st |
CHI |
Kris Versteeg Kris Versteeg is a Canadian professional ice hockey winger currently playing for the Florida Panthers of the National Hockey League...
(11) (PP"Power play" is a sporting term used in various games.*In ice hockey, a team is said to be on a power play when at least one opposing player is serving a penalty, and the team has a numerical advantage on the ice...
) |
Martin HavlatMartin Havlát is a Czech professional ice hockey player currently playing for the San Jose Sharks of the National Hockey League .-Playing career:...
(18), Brent SeabrookBrent Seabrook is a Canadian professional ice hockey defenceman playing for the Chicago Blackhawks of the National Hockey League . He was selected 14th overall by the Blackhawks in the 2003 NHL Entry Draft out of the Western Hockey League . He played four seasons of junior with the Lethbridge...
(7) |
3:24 |
1–0 CHI |
| DET |
Mikael SamuelssonMikael Samuelsson is a Swedish professional ice hockey right winger currently playing for the Florida Panthers of the National Hockey League ....
(8) (PP) |
Henrik ZetterbergHenrik “Zäta" Zetterberg is a Swedish professional ice hockey center and alternate captain currently playing for the Detroit Red Wings of the National Hockey League...
(18), Marian HossaMarián Hossa is a Slovak professional ice hockey player who currently plays for the Chicago Blackhawks of the National Hockey League . Hossa was drafted by the Ottawa Senators in the 1997 NHL Entry Draft; after playing for the Senators, he played for the Atlanta Thrashers, Pittsburgh Penguins, and...
(18) |
9:50 |
1–1 |
| CHI |
Martin Havlat (10) (PP) |
Kris Versteeg (20), Brian Campbell Brian Wesley Campbell is a Canadian professional ice hockey defenceman, an alternate captain for the Florida Panthers of the National Hockey League...
(21) |
12:37 |
2–1 CHI |
| CHI |
Ben EagerBenjamin Eager is a Canadian professional ice hockey left winger who currently plays for the Edmonton Oilers of the National Hockey League .-Playing career:...
(7) |
Martin Havlat (19) |
19:18 |
3–1 CHI |
| 2nd |
DET |
Jiri HudlerJiří Hudler is a Czech professional ice hockey player with the Detroit Red Wings of the National Hockey League. After beginning his career in the Czech Extraliga with Vsetín, Hudler was drafted by the Red Wings in 2002 and won the Stanley Cup with the club in 2008...
(14) |
Marian Hossa (19), Henrik Zetterberg (19) |
1:14 |
3–2 CHI |
| DET |
Jiri Hudler (15) |
Brian RafalskiBrian Christopher Rafalski is a retired American professional ice hockey defenseman who played 15 professional ice hockey seasons for five teams: 11 in the National Hockey League for two teams , three in SM-liiga for two teams prior to entering the NHL, and one in Elitserien for...
(24), Nicklas LidstromNicklas Erik Lidström is a Swedish professional ice hockey defenseman who has played his entire National Hockey League career with the Detroit Red Wings, and is their captain...
(20) |
12:43 |
3–3 |
| DET |
Pavel DatsyukPavel Valerievich Datsyuk is a professional ice hockey player from Russia and alternate captain for the Detroit Red Wings of the National Hockey League . He is known for his stick-handling and is considered the best two-way forward in the game today, having won the Frank J. Selke Trophy in the...
(16) |
Johan FranzenJohan Franzén is a Swedish professional ice hockey winger currently playing for the Detroit Red Wings of the National Hockey League .- Playing career :Franzén started playing ice hockey in Boro/Vetlanda HC, Landsbro near Vetlanda in Sweden...
(10), Brian Rafalski (25) |
17:17 |
4–3 DET |
| 3rd |
DET |
Brian Rafalski (5) (PP) |
Jiri Hudler (17), Tomas HolmstromTomas Holmström is a Swedish professional ice hockey left winger currently playing for the Detroit Red Wings of the National Hockey League , where he has won four Stanley Cup championships...
(13) |
3:07 |
5–3 DET |
| DET |
Brett LebdaBrett Steven Lebda is an American professional ice hockey defenceman. He is currently playing with the Springfield Falcons of the American Hockey League...
(3) |
Henrik Zetterberg (20), Marian Hossa (20) |
3:24 |
6–3 DET |
| CHI |
Duncan KeithDuncan Keith is a Canadian professional ice hockey defenceman who is an alternate captain for the Chicago Blackhawks of the National Hockey League...
(5) (PP) |
Patrick Sharp Patrick Sharp is a Canadian professional ice hockey player and alternate captain currently playing for the Chicago Blackhawks of the National Hockey League .-Playing career:Sharp was born in Winnipeg, Manitoba...
(12), Jonathan ToewsJonathan Bryan Toews is a Canadian professional ice hockey centre who plays for and is captain of the Chicago Blackhawks of the National Hockey League . He is currently the youngest captain in the NHL, having been appointed in 2008....
(20) |
19:50 |
6–4 DET |
Penalty summary
| Period |
Team |
Player |
PenaltyA penalty in ice hockey is a punishment for inappropriate behavior. Most penalties are enforced by detaining the offending player within a penalty box for a set number of minutes, during which, the player can not participate in play. The offending team usually may not replace the player on the ice,...
|
Time |
PIM |
| 1st |
DET |
Pavel DatsyukPavel Valerievich Datsyuk is a professional ice hockey player from Russia and alternate captain for the Detroit Red Wings of the National Hockey League . He is known for his stick-handling and is considered the best two-way forward in the game today, having won the Frank J. Selke Trophy in the...
|
Hooking |
0:37 |
2:00 |
| DET |
Red Wings Bench (served by Jiri HudlerJiří Hudler is a Czech professional ice hockey player with the Detroit Red Wings of the National Hockey League. After beginning his career in the Czech Extraliga with Vsetín, Hudler was drafted by the Red Wings in 2002 and won the Stanley Cup with the club in 2008...
) |
Too Many Men Too many men is a penalty that may be called in various team sports when the team has more players on the field or other playing area than are allowed by the rules...
|
2:06 |
2:00 |
| CHI |
Ben EagerBenjamin Eager is a Canadian professional ice hockey left winger who currently plays for the Edmonton Oilers of the National Hockey League .-Playing career:...
|
Slashing |
4:52 |
2:00 |
| CHI |
Dustin Byfuglien Dustin Ray Byfuglien is an American professional ice hockey player and an alternate captain of the Winnipeg Jets of the National Hockey League. His known nickname is "Big Buff," made up by his teammates...
|
Roughing |
7:53 |
2:00 |
| DET |
Brett LebdaBrett Steven Lebda is an American professional ice hockey defenceman. He is currently playing with the Springfield Falcons of the American Hockey League...
|
Delay of Game |
11:27 |
2:00 |
| DET |
Andreas LiljaAndreas Lilja is a Swedish professional ice hockey defenceman currently playing for the Philadelphia Flyers of the National Hockey League .-Professional hockey:...
|
Roughing |
13:01 |
2:00 |
| 2nd |
DET |
Marian HossaMarián Hossa is a Slovak professional ice hockey player who currently plays for the Chicago Blackhawks of the National Hockey League . Hossa was drafted by the Ottawa Senators in the 1997 NHL Entry Draft; after playing for the Senators, he played for the Atlanta Thrashers, Pittsburgh Penguins, and...
|
Goaltender Interference |
4:28 |
2:00 |
| CHI |
Jonathan ToewsJonathan Bryan Toews is a Canadian professional ice hockey centre who plays for and is captain of the Chicago Blackhawks of the National Hockey League . He is currently the youngest captain in the NHL, having been appointed in 2008....
|
High-Sticking High-sticking is the name of two infractions in the sport of ice hockey that may occur when a player intentionally or inadvertently plays with his or her stick above the height of the shoulders or above the cross bar of a hockey goal. This can result in a stoppage of play or in a penalty...
|
4:35 |
2:00 |
| CHI |
Brian Campbell Brian Wesley Campbell is a Canadian professional ice hockey defenceman, an alternate captain for the Florida Panthers of the National Hockey League...
|
Tripping A tripping penalty in ice hockey is called by the referee when a player trips an opposing player with their stick, or uses their skate against the other players skate, causing them to lose balance and fall ....
|
10:42 |
2:00 |
| 3rd |
CHI |
James Wisniewski James Joseph Wisniewski is an American professional ice hockey player, an alternate captain for the Columbus Blue Jackets of the National Hockey League.-Playing career:...
|
Holding |
2:20 |
2:00 |
| DET |
Valtteri FilppulaValtteri Filppula is a Finnish professional ice hockey forward, currently playing for the Detroit Red Wings of the NHL...
|
Holding |
19:07 |
2:00 |
Team rosters
| Detroit Red Wings |
| # |
|
Player |
Position |
| 3 |
 |
Andreas LiljaAndreas Lilja is a Swedish professional ice hockey defenceman currently playing for the Philadelphia Flyers of the National Hockey League .-Professional hockey:...
|
D |
| 5 |
|
Nicklas LidstromNicklas Erik Lidström is a Swedish professional ice hockey defenseman who has played his entire National Hockey League career with the Detroit Red Wings, and is their captain...
(C) |
D |
| 8 |
 |
Daniel Cleary Daniel Cleary is a Canadian professional ice hockey winger playing for the Detroit Red Wings of the National Hockey League. On June 4, 2008, Cleary became the first player from Newfoundland and Labrador to get his name on the Stanley Cup when the Red Wings won hockey's top prize...
|
RW |
| 13 |
 |
Pavel DatsyukPavel Valerievich Datsyuk is a professional ice hockey player from Russia and alternate captain for the Detroit Red Wings of the National Hockey League . He is known for his stick-handling and is considered the best two-way forward in the game today, having won the Frank J. Selke Trophy in the...
|
C |
| 18 |
|
Kirk MaltbyKirk Maltby is a Canadian former professional ice hockey winger who played 16 seasons in the National Hockey League for the Edmonton Oilers and Detroit Red Wings.-Playing career:...
|
RW |
| 22 |
 |
Brett LebdaBrett Steven Lebda is an American professional ice hockey defenceman. He is currently playing with the Springfield Falcons of the American Hockey League...
|
D |
| 23 |
|
Brad StuartBradley Stuart is a Canadian professional ice hockey defenceman currently playing for the Detroit Red Wings of the National Hockey League .- Playing career :...
|
D |
| 24 |
|
Chris CheliosChristos Kostas Tselios is a retired American professional ice hockey defenseman. He is currently the Executive Advisor to Ken Holland, the general manager of the Detroit Red Wings, a role that Steve Yzerman held before leaving to become general manager of the Tampa Bay Lightning.Chelios played...
|
D |
| 26 |
 |
Jiri HudlerJiří Hudler is a Czech professional ice hockey player with the Detroit Red Wings of the National Hockey League. After beginning his career in the Czech Extraliga with Vsetín, Hudler was drafted by the Red Wings in 2002 and won the Stanley Cup with the club in 2008...
|
LW |
| 28 |
|
Brian RafalskiBrian Christopher Rafalski is a retired American professional ice hockey defenseman who played 15 professional ice hockey seasons for five teams: 11 in the National Hockey League for two teams , three in SM-liiga for two teams prior to entering the NHL, and one in Elitserien for...
|
D |
| 29 |
|
Ty ConklinTy Curtis Conklin is an American professional ice hockey goaltender currently with the Detroit Red Wings of the National Hockey League....
|
G |
| 30 |
|
Chris OsgoodChristopher John Osgood is a retired Canadian professional ice hockey goaltender. He's currently ranked tenth in wins in NHL regular season history with 401 career wins. He spent the first part of his 17-year NHL career with the Detroit Red Wings, then the New York Islanders and the St. Louis...
|
G |
| 33 |
|
Kris DraperKristopher Draper is a Canadian retired professional ice hockey player. Draper is a four-time winner of the Stanley Cup, a Frank J. Selke Trophy winner and scored over 100 goals in the Red Wings uniform. Draper was a member of the famous Grind Line in Detroit, consisting of himself, Kirk Maltby...
(A) |
C |
| 37 |
|
Mikael SamuelssonMikael Samuelsson is a Swedish professional ice hockey right winger currently playing for the Florida Panthers of the National Hockey League ....
|
RW |
| 40 |
|
Henrik ZetterbergHenrik “Zäta" Zetterberg is a Swedish professional ice hockey center and alternate captain currently playing for the Detroit Red Wings of the National Hockey League...
(A) |
C |
| 51 |
 |
Valtteri FilppulaValtteri Filppula is a Finnish professional ice hockey forward, currently playing for the Detroit Red Wings of the NHL...
|
C |
| 55 |
|
Niklas KronwallNiklas Kronwall is a Swedish professional ice hockey defenceman, an alternate captain for the Detroit Red Wings of the National Hockey League...
|
D |
| 81 |
 |
Marian HossaMarián Hossa is a Slovak professional ice hockey player who currently plays for the Chicago Blackhawks of the National Hockey League . Hossa was drafted by the Ottawa Senators in the 1997 NHL Entry Draft; after playing for the Senators, he played for the Atlanta Thrashers, Pittsburgh Penguins, and...
|
RW |
| 93 |
|
Johan FranzenJohan Franzén is a Swedish professional ice hockey winger currently playing for the Detroit Red Wings of the National Hockey League .- Playing career :Franzén started playing ice hockey in Boro/Vetlanda HC, Landsbro near Vetlanda in Sweden...
|
LW |
| 96 |
|
Tomas HolmstromTomas Holmström is a Swedish professional ice hockey left winger currently playing for the Detroit Red Wings of the National Hockey League , where he has won four Stanley Cup championships...
|
RW |
| |
Head coach: Mike BabcockMichael "Mike" Babcock, Jr. is a Canadian professional ice hockey head coach of the Detroit Red Wings of the National Hockey League and former player. He serves as head coach of the Red Wings. He also served as the head coach of Team Canada in the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver...
|
| Chicago Blackhawks |
| # |
|
Player |
Position |
| 2 |
|
Duncan KeithDuncan Keith is a Canadian professional ice hockey defenceman who is an alternate captain for the Chicago Blackhawks of the National Hockey League...
(A) |
D |
| 7 |
|
Brent SeabrookBrent Seabrook is a Canadian professional ice hockey defenceman playing for the Chicago Blackhawks of the National Hockey League . He was selected 14th overall by the Blackhawks in the 2003 NHL Entry Draft out of the Western Hockey League . He played four seasons of junior with the Lethbridge...
|
D |
| 8 |
|
Matt Walker |
D |
| 10 |
|
Patrick Sharp Patrick Sharp is a Canadian professional ice hockey player and alternate captain currently playing for the Chicago Blackhawks of the National Hockey League .-Playing career:Sharp was born in Winnipeg, Manitoba...
(A) |
C |
| 16 |
|
Andrew LaddAndrew Ladd is a Canadian professional ice hockey winger and captain of the Winnipeg Jets of the National Hockey League . He was originally drafted in 2004 by the Carolina Hurricanes and won the Stanley Cup with them in 2006...
|
LW |
| 19 |
|
Jonathan ToewsJonathan Bryan Toews is a Canadian professional ice hockey centre who plays for and is captain of the Chicago Blackhawks of the National Hockey League . He is currently the youngest captain in the NHL, having been appointed in 2008....
(C) |
C |
| 22 |
|
Troy Brouwer Troy Brouwer is a Canadian professional ice hockey winger currently playing for the Washington Capitals of the National Hockey League .-Playing career:...
|
RW |
| 24 |
|
Martin HavlatMartin Havlát is a Czech professional ice hockey player currently playing for the San Jose Sharks of the National Hockey League .-Playing career:...
|
RW |
| 25 |
|
Cam BarkerCameron Barker is a Canadian professional ice hockey defenceman currently playing for the Edmonton Oilers of the National Hockey League . He was selected third overall in the 2004 NHL Entry Draft by the Chicago Blackhawks and spent four seasons with the club before being traded to the Wild in 2010...
|
D |
| 28 |
|
Craig Adams |
RW |
| 32 |
|
Kris Versteeg Kris Versteeg is a Canadian professional ice hockey winger currently playing for the Florida Panthers of the National Hockey League...
|
LW |
| 33 |
|
Dustin Byfuglien Dustin Ray Byfuglien is an American professional ice hockey player and an alternate captain of the Winnipeg Jets of the National Hockey League. His known nickname is "Big Buff," made up by his teammates...
|
LW |
| 36 |
|
Dave BollandDavid Bolland is a Canadian professional ice hockey player currently playing for the Chicago Blackhawks of the National Hockey League. Nicknamed The Rat, Bolland was drafted by the Blackhawks in the second round of the 2004 NHL Entry Draft...
|
C |
| 38 |
 |
Cristobal HuetCristobal Huet is a French professional ice hockey goaltender playing for Fribourg-Gottéron of the Swiss National League A, on loan from the Chicago Blackhawks of the National Hockey League. He developed his goaltending skills in Grenoble with Les Brûleurs de Loups. He has also played with the...
|
G |
| 39 |
|
Nikolai KhabibulinNikolai Ivanovich Khabibulin is a Russian professional ice hockey goaltender currently playing for the Edmonton Oilers of the National Hockey League...
|
G |
| 43 |
|
James Wisniewski James Joseph Wisniewski is an American professional ice hockey player, an alternate captain for the Columbus Blue Jackets of the National Hockey League.-Playing career:...
|
D |
| 46 |
|
Colin FraserColin Fraser is a Canadian professional ice hockey centre. He is currently playing with the Los Angeles Kings of the National Hockey League .-Playing career:Fraser was born in Sicamous, but raised in Surrey, British Columbia...
|
C |
| 51 |
|
Brian Campbell Brian Wesley Campbell is a Canadian professional ice hockey defenceman, an alternate captain for the Florida Panthers of the National Hockey League...
|
D |
| 55 |
|
Ben EagerBenjamin Eager is a Canadian professional ice hockey left winger who currently plays for the Edmonton Oilers of the National Hockey League .-Playing career:...
|
LW |
| 88 |
|
Patrick KanePatrick Timothy Kane, Jr. is an American professional ice hockey right winger currently playing for the Chicago Blackhawks of the National Hockey League . The Blackhawks selected him with the first overall pick in the 2007 NHL Entry Draft.-Minor and junior:Kane attended the St...
|
RW |
| |
Head coach: Joel Quenneville Joel Norman Quenneville is the head coach of the Chicago Blackhawks professional ice hockey team. He is a former ice hockey defenseman and former head coach of the Colorado Avalanche and St. Louis Blues...
|
- Chris Osgood served as the backup goalie for the Red Wings and did not enter the game.
Scratches
- Detroit Red Wings: Tomas Kopecky
Tomáš Kopecký is a Slovak professional ice hockey right winger, an alternate captain for the Florida Panthers of the National Hockey League .- Detroit Red Wings :...
, Derek Meech
- Chicago Blackhawks: Aaron Johnson, Adam Burish
Adam Burish is an American professional ice hockey centre who currently plays for the Dallas Stars of the National Hockey League.-Playing career:...
Officials
- Referees — Bill McCreary
William "Bill" McCreary is a former referee in the National Hockey League.McCreary refereed his first NHL game in 1984 in Washington, D.C.. On February 16, 2008, McCreary refereed his 1,500th NHL game in a match between the Toronto Maple Leafs and the Boston Bruins...
, Tim Peel
- Linesmen — Andy McElman, Dan Schachte
Lost Logo Challenge
Reebok sponsored a contest known as the "NHL Winter Classic Reebok Lost Logo Challenge," which challenged fans to find the one player on the ice without a Reebok logo on the back of his jersey. The player without the logo, therefore the correct entry to the contest, was
Dustin ByfuglienDustin Ray Byfuglien is an American professional ice hockey player and an alternate captain of the Winnipeg Jets of the National Hockey League. His known nickname is "Big Buff," made up by his teammates...
of the Blackhawks. All RBK Edge sweaters have a Reebok vector logo near the top of the jersey above the player's nameplate, but this one jersey had no logo stitched in that position. Each person attending the game was given
binocularsBinoculars, field glasses or binocular telescopes are a pair of identical or mirror-symmetrical telescopes mounted side-by-side and aligned to point accurately in the same direction, allowing the viewer to use both eyes when viewing distant objects...
and was able to enter the contest by cell phone; television viewers could enter the contest online. Entries were accepted through the first two periods, at which time two winners, one inside Wrigley Field and one home viewer, were selected from those who chose the correct player. Each winner received an identical prize: a trip to a Stanley Cup Finals game and a $1,000 gift certificate to NHL.com.
See also
External links