"Yes, there will be a sheet of ice in Fenway Park for a Jan. 1 Winter Classic. It's a done deal,...

"Yes, there will be a sheet of ice in Fenway Park for a Jan. 1 Winter Classic. It's a done deal, Bruins vs. either the Capitals or Flyers. The league will make it official at the start of July, with a splashy media event in the old ballpark."

- Kevin Paul Dupont, The Boston Globe

almost 3 years ago Travis Hughes 8 comments 0 recs |

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I'm torn:

If it’s the Flyers, then it won’t be in Beaver Stadium. But interesting matchup choices. Why not Toronto or Montreal? Why Washington or Philly? Is the league that desperate for star power in these matchups? Either way, Beaver Stadium should get one eventually.

by Geoff Detweiler on May 25, 2009 2:35 PM EDT reply actions

I’m also not 100% sure of the thinking behind the possible matchups… I guess if you want to go back deep, you could say Flyers-Bruins ‘74 Stanley Cup, but that’s a big stretch for a ‘rematch’ 35 years later (especially considering the two already play each other 4 times a year…). And the Caps make no sense at all unless the league just wants to put Ovechkin on national TV more. Boston swept them once in the Wales Conference Finals in 1990, and the Caps beat Boston in the first round en route to being swept by the Wings in the 1998 Stanley Cup.

That being said, I would enjoy either game, but I still don’t see why these matchups would qualify as a ‘Winter Classic’ like Detroit-Chicago did.

by Ben Feldman on May 25, 2009 3:43 PM EDT reply actions

Fenway Park on Jan 1st? Eegads, that would be one fracking cold game. If it does happen, however, I am SO there.

by doubleh on May 26, 2009 5:14 PM EDT reply actions

Historical Factor

The Flyers and Bruins actually have a LOT of history.

1967: In the Expansion Draft, the Flyers select Bernie Parent, Doug Favell, Joe Watson, Gary Dornhoefer, and others from the Bruins. Parent, Watson, and Dornhoefer were mainstays of the Cup teams, and we traded Favell to Toronto to get Parent back.

1974: The Flyers beat the Bruins 4 games to 2 in the Stanley Cup Finals.

1976: Reggie Leach scores 5 goals in a 6-1 playoff victory over Boston. The win sent the Flyers back to the Stanley Cup Finals for the third straight year.

1977, 1978: The Flyers lose to the Bruins in the semifinals for two years in a row.

1979: The Flyers beat the Bruins to set an all-time hockey record for games without a loss (at the time, 29). The Flyers would win or tie for 6 more games before having their unbeaten streak end at 35 games, the longest in professional sports history.

1987: Ron Hextall becomes the first goaltender ever to score a goal by shooting the puck. He did so during a 5-2 win over Boston.

1990: In separate trades, the Bruins acquire both Dave Poulin and Brian Propp from the Flyers. Poulin and Propp become key figures in Boston’s run to the Stanley Cup Finals.

2007: In separate games, Randy Jones and Scott Hartnell of the Flyers are suspended for blindside hits against Bruins Patrice Bergeron and Andrew Alberts, respectively.

2009: The Flyers and Bruins split a 4-game series with two wins each. The road team wins every game in the series. The 3rd game in Boston was Scottie Upshall’s last as a Flyer. During the 4th game in Philadelphia, Bruins commentator Jack Edwards cackles like an idiot when Boston forward Milan Lucic knocks Flyers defenseman Randy Jones to the ice.

So there’s more here than the 1974 Finals, I say.

Do you see what happens when you find a stranger in the Alps?

by mikefive on May 26, 2009 11:01 PM EDT reply actions

They’ll probably pick the Caps, though, because of the whole Ovechkin thing. They need a “star”.

by doubleh on May 27, 2009 12:09 AM EDT reply actions

Wait, you mean Mike Richards isn't a star?

Seriously, though…

You’re probably right. Ovechkin has the “star quality” the league needs to bolster ratings. However, if they’re looking to educate new fans of the game, the league should go with Boston-Philly due to the history.

Do you see what happens when you find a stranger in the Alps?

by mikefive on May 27, 2009 4:52 PM EDT up reply actions

I think he is

But the league certainly doesn’t seem to. He doesn’t interview all that well, either, and certainly doesn’t have that electric personality (although I wouldn’t say Crosby does, either, but I bet Sidney does a better sales pitch than Richards—ugh) that the NHL wants for its stars.

I would rather they actually go with 2 teams who care about playing each other and have some history, but you know and I know that ain’t gonna happen.

by doubleh on May 27, 2009 10:02 PM EDT up reply actions

I’d say that the Flyers and Bruins def. have enough history to make a really exciting game. I mean I dont see much difference between the Flyers v. Bruins and the Red Wings v. Blackhawks or the Penguins v. Sabres.

I think that it would a great idea considering Philly and Boston are a lot alike and they are both traditional franchises with tons of individual history and a good amout of history against one another. Plus, they are both great teams. The Bruins v. Capitals matchup has so much lacking in historical releveance. Idk though, I feel like the league understands that and would be much more in favor of two of America’s most historical cities (in regards to Sports and American history) go head to head in one of the greatest Ballparks of all time.

If the NHL does this right, it could be a really awesome event! I’ll keep my fingers crossed . . .

by Mitchell Green on May 28, 2009 3:16 PM EDT reply actions