A sellout crowd of 62,921 last night braved the 17-degree cold and a snowstorm at Soldier Field for "the last of the NHL's four Stadium Series games," as the Blackhawks beat the Penguins 5-1. Blackhawks coach Joel Quenneville said it was "probably the greatest setting you could want." Blackhawks LW Patrick Sharp: "The ice was very good, but that first period it was tough to see and handle the puck. It really felt like a real outdoor game. There were no real systems or structure. We were just kind of hoisting the puck, slapping it around and having fun" (CHICAGO TRIBUNE, 3/2).
The elements made the nationally televised game a "visually stunning affair, particularly in the first period when the snow was at its heaviest" (CHICAGO SUN-TIMES, 3/2). Last night was "a tough night for hockey," but a "great event to watch for the ... fans who filled the stadium on the lakefront." The temperatures and snow made for "an unforgettable event" (CHICAGO SUN-TIMES, 3/2).
Meanwhile, the Senators and Canucks today will play in the league's annual Heritage Classic at BC Place. However, the "problem with calling this game a 'Heritage Classic' is that there is no rivalry between these two teams." They "play in different conferences, on opposite sides" of Canada (Vancouver PROVINCE, 3/2).
