Winter Classic fun facts
Workers prepare the rink before the 2018 Winter Classic at Citi Field on Dec. 29, 2017. Credit: Getty Images / Bruce Bennett
Fun facts about the NHL’s Winter Classic:
SOUNDTRACK
Musicians who perform at Super Bowls at least are either in warm weather or indoors. Not so for the Winter Classic. But a few brave souls are scheduled to entertain the crowd at Monday’s game at Citi Field.
They include Max Weinberg and Max Weinberg’s Jukebox, a quartet led by Bruce Springsteen’s longtime drummer, which will serve as what the league is calling “the house band” for the event, performing throughout the game.
Ace Frehley, the original lead guitarist for KISS, will perform “New York Grove” before the game. Every Voice Choirs will sing the national anthem, followed by a flyover featuring four F-15 aircrafts.
Goo Goo Dolls will perform during the first intermission. During the second intermission, the 2018 U.S. Olympic men’s and women’s hockey teams will be announced, as will the Paralympic sled hockey team.
PLAY BALL
Citi Field is only the fifth major league ballpark to host a Winter Classic: The other four are Wrigley Field (2009) Fenway Park (2010), Nationals Park (2015) and Busch Stadium (2017). The rest were at football stadiums. Next year’s game, between the Bruins and Blackhawks, will be held at Notre Dame Stadium.
WELCOME TO NY
Games the Rangers and Sabres will play in New York City this year, versus none in Buffalo. The Winter Classic technically is a Sabres home game; their other two games will be played at the Garden, Jan. 18 and March 24
WELCOME TO THE COLD
Pavel Buchnevich, Jimmy Vesey, Ondrej Pavelec and J.T. Miller are the only Rangers who have never played in an outdoor game in the NHL, college or otherwise.
Neil Best first worked at Newsday in 1982, returned in 1985 after a detour to Alaska and has been here since, specializing in high schools, college basketball, the NFL and most recently sports media and business.
