NHL set to formally announce Flyers-Rangers Winter Classic at Citizens Bank Park

THERE IS a curious afternoon contest currently penciled in for Monday, Jan. 2 on the Flyers' schedule. Technically, without a peep from the NHL since the league's matrix was released on June 23, it's just one of 82 games on the Flyers' slate.

That is all expected to change next week when the NHL will finally - formally and officially - announce Citizens Bank Park as the home of the 2012 Winter Classic between the Flyers and New York Rangers, a league source told the Daily News.

It will be by far the latest announcement of the summer compared to the previous four Winter Classic setups, each of which were announced in July.

The Phillies are expected to finally sign off on the rental terms for Citizens Bank Park to make the deal "done and documented," the source said. NHL officials have visited Citizens Bank Park numerous times over the past few weeks to hammer out the details.

"The event is just a unique one to the Phillies and it has taken time to go through the issues," the source said.

So far, no ticket arrangements have been announced, even for Flyers and Phillies season ticketholders. That could soon change.