The 2009 NHL Winter Classic Thread

tplyons · #1 01-01-2009, 11:09 AM

All I gotta say is the field looks great!

Gonna be a great game: 46 year old Chelios vs. The youngest team in the league.

I say Red Wings 4-2.

Joey3313 · #2 01-01-2009, 11:34 AM

Do you really think there is going to be 6 goals?
The conditions don't exactly breed a scoring-fest.

And I'm wrong. Scoring-fest it is.

tplyons · #3 01-01-2009, 11:36 AM

I think the wind may be distracting for the goalies.

tplyons · #4 01-01-2009, 12:00 PM

2-1 already after 13 minutes... think your prediction of not breeding a scoring fest is accurate?

Joey3313 · #5 01-01-2009, 12:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tplyons

2-1 already after 13 minutes... think your prediction of not breeding a scoring fest is accurate?

Yeah, I was just gonna say...my prediction was off.

I'm not disappointed, that's for sure. I may have been wrong, but I get to watch a great game in the process.

I just assumed that it would play very similar to the game last year, where there were a lot of issues with the ice. I guess they worked out the kinks...

Oh, and those Blackhawks jerseys are friggin gorgeous!

tplyons · #6 01-01-2009, 12:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Joey3313

Yeah, I was just gonna say...my prediction was off.

I'm not disappointed, that's for sure. I may have been wrong, but I get to watch a great game in the process.

I just assumed that it would play very similar to the game last year, where there were a lot of issues with the ice. I guess they worked out the kinks...

Oh, and those Blackhawks jerseys are friggin gorgeous!

I'm loving both throwbacks, and yes, they said something about improving the ice significantly from last year.

This is turning out to be a fun game to watch, a few scuffles, a few great checks, a few amazing goals and a couple amazing saves. I'm excited!

warwick.hoy · #7 01-01-2009, 01:13 PM

Very entertaining game. 4-3 Wings going into the 3rd. The Ice isn't nearly as mushy as last year. That puck has to be rock hard though; bouncing all over the place.

Sonic_Death · #8 01-01-2009, 01:40 PM

The wings are dominating right now, the blackhawks are going to have to step it up soon if they want a chance of winning.

burk48237 · #9 01-01-2009, 02:43 PM

Wings answer the challenge. The Biggest difference in my point of view is the Wings forwards weren't afraid to get banged up around the net. On D the back-checking of the Wings forwards was huge too. While Chicago had some good chances, it was rare for them to get a follow up chance, it seemed their was always a Wing around to clear the puck.

tplyons · #10 01-01-2009, 04:00 PM

My spread was right, just two less goals on each side than I thought.

crimson_basser · #11 01-01-2009, 04:48 PM

i thought it was a good game
i enjoyed watching it

i wish they could do more of these, make things a bit more challenging and a switch up once in a while

itd keep all the teams on the their toes

i could see the drawbacks, but i thought it was entertaining, playing hockey the way we all grow up playing it

Barfly · #12 01-01-2009, 04:58 PM

I enjoyed what I saw. They should do 2 games, though. Maybe a NYE game and a NYD game, involving 4 teams.

burk48237 · #13 01-01-2009, 05:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Barfly

I enjoyed what I saw. They should do 2 games, though. Maybe a NYE game and a NYD game, involving 4 teams.

I don't know there's something special about that one game being like a bowl game ecspecially when they play in a classic park. Next year Fenway?

I heard rumors that next year the Wings are opening the season in Stiockholm. I do think the NHL needs to do more of this kind of stuff.

tycobb73 · #14 01-01-2009, 05:49 PM

Last year the Pens were going to beat the Wings. This year Chicago is better than the Wings. Ha!

I am glad for Chicago though. He was the worst owner in any sport and a team with that history should have been marketed better. Now that the son has taken over I see great things in their future.

hbarcat · #15 01-01-2009, 06:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tycobb73

Last year the Pens were going to beat the Wings. This year Chicago is better than the Wings. Ha!

I am glad for Chicago though. He was the worst owner in any sport and a team with that history should have been marketed better. Now that the son has taken over I see great things in their future.

Lots of people that I know who gave up on the Hawks and have been going to Wolves games are now starting to go back to see the Hawks. It's a whole new team with a really enthusiastic attitude and they play like they want to win. The fans see that and are starting to come back. Old man Wirtz was a **** and I'm glad his kid isn't following in his footsteps. It seems he actually has some respect for the team, its fans and for the game of hockey.

This NHL Winter Classic is truly brilliant, it's really fun to see and it definitely brings new fans to the game.

MJ5150 · #16 01-02-2009, 03:28 AM

I loved it, what I saw of it. I had a hard time pulling away from football, but I did here and there. Detroit looked great once they started taking the game seriously. I'm still relying on the commentators for insight. I thought Milbury made a good comment about how Detroit needs to get rid of the idea that this is an exhibition game. Once they did, the onslaught began. I wonder how the Chicago goalies are sleeping tonight?

One or two games a year would be fine. I just hope the NHL doesn't turn this into a weekly event.

-Mike

TheXym · #17 01-02-2009, 08:13 AM

Best use of Wrigley field in over 100 years, imho

The Wings showed class by dressing 7 dmen so both Chelios and Lebda (Chicago area natives) could play. A couple weak calls (the Cleary too many men was a legit call, but the ref should have allowed him to use the door between the benches to the walkway to allow him to stay off the ice), the interference call on Hossa was laughable, as was the complete lack of reaction from Quennville on the makeup call a few seconds later. Overall both teams played a great game, and the conditions seemed perfect for the game.

Sadly, Bill Wirtz' death is the best thing to happen to the Blackhawks. The franchise deserved MUCH better than they got under his stewardship during the late 90's early 2000's and I'm glad to see the franchise rejuvenated. Rocky has done a great job and should be considered for the Masterton trophy (I believe that's the one for service to the game of hockey). The Hawks are still a couple of years away from toppling the Wings in the central (maybe next year if the free agency exodus hits the Wings like I fear it will).

Datsyuk's goal was friggin AMAZING, too bad @$$hat McGuire was giving the credit to the wind. The hawks came out hard, and really took it to the wings in the first period (no surprise considering their homefield advantage and coming off a 4-0 blanking on Tuesday). I'm a bit worried about the Detroit PK, and Lilja looked BAD on the Eager goal (though I will say that's the first major Lilja gaffe of the season, imho and Conklin looked worse), but when the Wings get angry and crank up the intensity they're scary good.

**Jerose** · #18 01-02-2009, 09:54 AM

A really good game and a great show the NHL put on. I was pretty indifferent as to who won, but I think it's good that the most publicized game of the year included 10 goals and some great passionate play. I rarely get to see many Wings games during the season, but damn... their passing game is still spot on perfect most of the time.