It’s official: Flyers in Winter Classic
President and Chief Operating Officer of Comcast-Spectacor Peter Luukko, left, Paul Holmgren, Philadelphia Flyers' General Manager, center, left, and Comcast-Spectacor Chairman Ed Snider, right, present Chris Pronger, the team's new defenseman, with a jersey at the end of a press conference where he was introduced, Monday, July 6, 2009, in Voorhees, N.J.
Alyssa Cwanger / Staff Photographer
Philadelphia Daily News
BOSTON - The Flyers will play in the NHL Winter Classic in Fenway Park against the Bruins on Jan. 1, it was officially announced at a news conference today.
The Daily News reported last month that the Flyers-Bruins matchup would take place. This is the third Winter Classic.
"Just picture it, two great teams with the Green Monster as a backdrop," NHL commissioner Gary Bettman said in announcing the game, which will begin at 1 p.m. on New Year's Day.
"The NHL Winter Classic is truly a great day for hockey," Comcast-Spectacor chairman and Flyers founder Ed Snider said. "It has become arguably the biggest game played during the NHL's regular season and offers a tremendous opportunity to showcase our great sport of hockey to millions of worldwide viewers. As one of the league's original expansion teams, it's an honor for the Philadelphia Flyers to serve as ambassadors for the NHL and the City of Philadelphia. And, we are thrilled that our opponent will be one of the original six NHL teams."
The Flyers and Bruins, of course, are old rivals. The Flyers won their first Stanley Cup in 1974 by beating the Bruins in six games. “We are extremely excited to be participating in this event and I look forward to this match-up against the Bruins,” Flyers general manager Paul Holmgren said. “I am certainly familiar with the long history the Flyers have with Boston. It’s an honor to have the opportunity to spend New Year’s Day renewing the longtime rivalry between these two clubs.”
Tickets are not yet on sale for the game. “As of right now, we are still working with the league on our ticket allocation,” said Shawn Tilger, senior vice president of business operations for the Flyers. “As the visiting team, ticket inventory will be limited, but we will do our best to accommodate as many fans as possible. Our plan is to implement a system that gives priority to our season-ticketholders.”
Check back later. We are waiting for the release of the rest of the NHL schedule and we will post the highlights.
And in Thursday's Daily News will be the complete Flyers schedule. *
