CLASSIC TILT LOOMING AT NOTRE DAME
Winter Classic vs. Blackhawks official
SAN JOSE, Calif. — As a kid growing up in hockeyloving Quebec City, Patrice Bergeron didn’t hear much about Knute Rockne, the Gipper or Touchdown Jesus.
But he does know a tiny bit about Notre Dame football lore.
“Well, I’ve seen the movie ‘Rudy,’ ” Bergeron said jokingly. “I don’t know all that much about it, but I know there’s a lot of history behind that school and that program.”
The National Hockey League officially announced yesterday the B’s will be taking on the Chicago Blackhawks at Notre Dame Stadium in South Bend, Ind., for next season’s Winter Classic.
“It’s going to be special, for sure, and I’m looking forward to take it all in once we’re there,” Bergeron said.
The game will be played on Jan. 1, 2019.
“The Boston Bruins are excited to be playing in the 2019 Bridgestone Winter Classic against another storied Original Six franchise, the Chicago Blackhawks,” team president Cam Neely said in a statement. “The rich history of Notre Dame Stadium is well documented, and our team looks forward to playing at such an iconic venue. We hope that by participating in these large scale and unique NHL events we can bring Bruins fans new hockey experiences, and that we can use these opportunities to help grow our great game and attract new fans.”
The B’s have played in two Winter Classics, at Fenway Park in 2010 and at Gillette Stadium in 2016. The next appearance will be the first time the B’s will be on the road for the league’s centerpiece regular-season event. The Blackhawks have already played in four Classics.
“We’ve played two games already, so we’re also used to it in a sense. Chicago has obviously been in it a number of times. It’s going to be an experience,” Bergeron said. “It’s something you have to enjoy but don’t get too high or too low and just worry about the game, because there are a lot of things distracting around that. But it’s still a great event and something I look forward to.”
Hockey players are used to playing in the fishbowl of an arena setting and it takes a little getting used to not having the fans right on top of them.
“It is an adjustment. The fact that the fans are far away as well, everything is different,” Bergeron said. “The fact that there’s nobody around you, that there’s no sponsors on the boards is different and something you have to get adjusted to. But it all comes down to the same game and you have to go out and play.”
Still, the roar of the crowd that is up to four to five times larger than a regular hockey crowd is unmistakable
“I remember Gillette (the game ended as a blowout loss to the Montreal Canadiens) was amazing and the fans were great,” said Bergeron. “And at Fenway, obviously the ending made it even more special (Bergeron set up Marco Sturm for the overtime winner against the Philadelphia Flyers). We’re going to be on the road this time, so it’ll be a different feel I guess.”
Bruins season ticket and premium seat holders who renew for 2018-19 will have dibs ahead of the general public when the tickets go on sale, which has not yet been determined.