SOUTH BEND, IN – After a soggy and cold New Year’s Eve in which all NHL events were brought indoors with some being cancelled, the first day of 2019 proved to be extraordinarily special for the game of hockey. With light snow falling and 32 degrees air temperature, it was a perfect setting for the NHL’s showcase event of the regular season.
When the gates opened to Notre Dame Stadium at 11 AM, the crowd, which had swelled into the thousands tailgating and starting the party early, the magic had begun. Treated to music by The Jacks (Irish slang term for toilet, incidentally), a Southern California rock & roll band, and a few libations in the chilly temperatures, the fans were ready for the festivities to begin.
Reaching an attendance of 76,126, the second highest of any NHL contest, the Blackhawks brought their home anthem singer, Jim Cornelison, to South Bend to sing “The Star-Spangled Banner,” but this time synching with the South Bend Symphony Orchestra instead of the United Center organ.
Soon after the last note was heard, four A-10 Thunderbolt II planes flew over Notre Dame Stadium with a raging noise high above the famed complex and the 11th Winter Classic and 26th NHL outdoor game was underway.
At a temperature of 35.5 degrees at puck drop, both teams started with strong efforts around the other’s net feeling each other out a bit, but never getting a solid chance.
At 5:52, Chicago went on the powerplay as Boston’s Brandon Carlo was sent off for holding, this after Chicago’s Brandon Saad nearly lit the lamp first, having fought through the Bruins’ defensive effort to get a scoring opportunity.
Just less than a minute after the penalty expired, Chicago continued pressure on the Bruins and finally had it pay off. That’s when Chicago’s David Kampf corralled a loose puck behind the Boston net and fed teammate Brendan Perlini for a quick snap shot. That drive beat Boston goalie Tuuka Rask on the stick side allowing the home team to open the scoring. It was Perlini’s 5th of the campaign.
At 12:05, Chicago Artem Anisimov tripped Joakim Nordstrom and it was Boston’s turn to go on the man advantage. It took just 33 seconds for David Pasternak to tie the score. He took a beautiful feed from Patrice Bergeron and waited for Chicago goalie Cam Ward to commit before sliding the puck under him to even the score. It was Pastrnak’s 24th tally of the season, tied for 4th in the NHL.
Near the end of the period, Bruins defenseman Matt Grzelcyk was whistled for a high stick on Andrea Martinsen, sending Chicago to their second power play of the game. Alex Debrincat had the best chance with two minutes to play in the period when he missed a slick pass, missing the conversion by sending the puck over the open net.
With just 18 seconds to play, David Pastrnak nearly gave Boston the lead when he stickhandled in close of Ward before running out of space and then being checked to the ice as the puck was eventually smothered.
Chicago added more excitement when with just 8 seconds left, Patrick Kane sped up ice on a breakaway. Kane’s drive was kicked aside by Rask to prevent the goal and end the period.
Boston outshot Chicago 14-12 in the period.
As the middle frame began, both teams continued good flow to start the period with Chicago gaining an edge in possession early. This led to a hooking penalty against Sean Kuraly. The Blackhawks could not convert against the stingy Boston defense, going perfect in defending against three shorthanded situations to that point in the game.
With just more than seven minutes expired, Chicago’s Brandon Saad nearly put the Blackhawks up before Rask answered with a nice stick save to keep things deadlocked.
With 11:24 in the period and Chicago further pressing, Jonathan Toews continued a play enabling the puck to continue around the boards. Eventually, teammate Erik Gustafsson gained possession at the right point. He sent a drive toward the Boston net that Dominik Kahun deflected from between the circles, through Rask’s pads and across the goal line for a 2-1 lead. It was Kahun’s 5th of the season and a culmination of repeated pressure and relentless puck pursuit.
Late in the second period, Erik Gustafsson was called for roughing, sending the Bruins to a crucial point in the game and a chance to tie it before the end of the period. After Chicago nearly went ahead 3-1 on a breakaway when David Kampf had his stick lifted by Patrice Bergeron to prevent the chance. The Bruins then streaked back the other way where Bergeron put one past Ward to tie the score.
Before the period was out, though, Boston’s Matt Grzelcyk was sent off for hooking, leaving the Bruins short to start the third period and giving Chicago another great opportunity to pull ahead.
But just more than a minute into that third period, Patrick Kane was whistled for high sticking against David Pasternak. Just 39 seconds later, Anisimov was sent off for tripping Kevan Miller in their offensive zone, sending the Bruins to the power play. What would eventually be a two-man advantage never gained steam as the Blackhawks weathered all challenges and kept things even.
Chicago could not stay out of the penalty box, though. Gustav Forsling was caught hooking and was sent off with just more than 15:04 left in regulation. Boston could not convert.
Chicago nearly went ahead when with just more than eleven minutes to play, Patrick Kane streaked along the right boards. He sent a pass in front of the Boston goal that was weakly addressed and sent over the net. It was Chicago’s finest chance of the period.
Not long after, Boston finally took the lead when Chris Wagner started a play by forechecking Chicago defenseman Forsling. The puck was sent out to the right point where it continued over to the left point. Contained eventually by Grzelcyk who sent a drive toward the Chicago net, the puck went off Chris Wagner with the deflection bouncing to Sean Kuraly, who put it home for the Bruins, giving them a 3-2 lead. It was Kuraly’s 4th of the season.
Chicago pressed for the equalizer. Towes had a great chance, point blank on Rask with just 90 seconds to play, but the netminder kicked out his right pad for the toe save. Right back the other way, Boston hit the pipe on a long, empty-net drive.
With 33 seconds to play, Brad Marchand deposited an empty-netter, his 13th goal of the season, off a pass from David Krecji and the game ended with a Boston victory, 4-2.
It was fitting ending to the tremendous build-up and anticipation that make the NHL outdoor games so special. One more outdoor game is scheduled this season when the Flyers host the Penguins at Lincoln Financial Field on February 23rd. Three more are scheduled next season.
Dennis Morrell is a long-time hockey writer, photographer, coach, player and USA Hockey-certified referee who loves the game and those connected to it. He can be reached at dennis.morrell@prohockeynews.com and you can follow him on Twitter at DMMORRELL.
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