Permanent Outdoor Hockey!

It was bound to happen eventually. Here is the article from Yahoo

If you're in the crowd of people who believe the idea of playing outdoor hockey games is overdone, you're not going to like what the Williamsport Outlaws of the Federal Hockey League have planned for the 2012-13 season. 

Having just relocated from New Jersey to Williamsport, the Outlaws are currently without a rink and needed somewhere to play their home schedule. While local officials are working out those details, the Outlaws announced on Tuesday that they plan to play their entire 30-game home schedule outside at Historic Bowman Field, home of the Williamsport CrossCutters, a New York-Penn minor league baseball team. 

From WNEP16: 

Williamsport's city council still has to approve the lease with the new hockey team that won the league championship last year in New Jersey. The Outlaws' coach says the team hopes to get about 2,000 fans per game. If you are wondering if there is a chance warm weather or rain and snow could postpone outdoor hockey games. The answer from officials is yes but they said they are prepared to deal with whatever comes late Fall, early Winter. 

From when their season kicks off on Oct. 24 until their final home game on Jan. 21 (Williamsport ends their season with a 15-game road trip), the Outlaws will rent the rink at Bowman Field, which is owned by the city. No word on what happens should the team qualify for the FHL playoffs to defend their title. Public skating will take place when the rink isn't in use by the team, according to WNEP. 

The rink will reportedly cost the Outlaws between $200,000-$225,000 to build and operate, $15,000 to rent the field from the city and between $12,000-$15,000 to fix the infield once the season is over. The team will need to average around 2,000 fans per game in order to make the venture economically feasible. The possibility also exists of renting the rink out to local high school and college teams to help off-set costs. 

Meanwhile, the Crosscutters aren't too happy having to share their facility with another team and have filed a Right to Know request to get all the details of the agreement between the Outlaws and the city.

I feel like it was going to happen eventually, but the fact that they relocated there without an arena is pretty stupid. I really hope it's cold enough, because this summer has been so hot.

2012 Winter Classic

Today is the 2012 NHL Winter Classic! The game will take place at the Phillies' Citizen Bank Park in Philadelphia. The picture above is from the Legends Game on Saturday between the Rangers' legends, and the Flyers legends.

The game is today at 3 on NBC after being pushed back a few times due to weather. Here is a post about the previous Winter Classics.

2011 Heritage Classic

Up in Calgary, the Flames and Habs had a little version of the Winter Classic themselves. In the first Heritage Classic since 2003, the two teams played at McMahon Stadium.

The arena was set up football style, which is no surprise. The game sold out, which is also no surprise. The CFL capacity is 35,650, with possible expansions. The hockey game had 41,022 people in attendance. Also, the Flames looked sweet. They had fireworks, concerts, and air hockey outside.

Seems like a party. No way one is held down here, but what ever, if I wanted to go I'd go on a vacation!

The flames won 4-0 in the first NHL outdoor game to end with a shut out.

Email me for any scoops on local stadiums or something!

The Finnish Winter Classic

The Finnish SM-liiga hopped on the bandwagon with the outdoor hockey games. In February two Helsinki-based teams, Jokerit and HIFK, are going to play a league game at the Helsinki Olympic stadium.

I think the promotional poster is quite nice

They even have the seating chart in the same style.

The game was played yesterday with HIFK winning 4-3. Here are a couple of pictures...



And here is video!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JxhBGAXB5No

It seemed like a good game. Go NHL for something pretty much every hockey league could do. The KHL did it, I know. But its neat seeing rowdie fans, like a soccer game, at an outdoor hockey game in Finland.

A look back at the Winter Classic

Here are pictures of the history of the Winter Classic
2008 Pittsburgh Penguins 2-1 Buffalo Sabres (SO)


2009 Detroit Redwings 6-4 Chicago Blackhawks


2010 Philadelphia Flyers 1-2 Boston Bruins (OT)


2011 Washington Capitals 3-1 Pittsurgh Penguins

A look at the Winter Classic

Last night, Pittsburgh hosted the 4th Winter Classic. But it was almost not going to happen. Leading up to Saturday, Pittsburgh has weather fore casted as rainy and in the 50s. The game was moved from 1 to 8, in order to miss the storm, but it still was pretty slushy on the ice.

For the first time since the first Winter Classic in Buffalo, the game was held in an NFL stadium. Also, the first played at night since that game. Both of which the Penguins played in.

Here is a time lapse of the rink being set up.


The Capitals won the game 3-1.