B’s heading outside to play at Lake Tahoe
The Bruins are apparently getting their outdoor game, but it won’t be at Fenway Park and fans will not be attending.
Though there has been no official word from the league or the Bruins just, the B’s will be one of four teams to play an outdoor game at the Edgewood Tahoe Resort in Lake Tahoe, Nevada, according to Sportsnet in Canada.
The Athletic also confirmed that the B’s will play their Feb. 21 game against the Philadelphia Flyers, listed on the B’s schedule as a home game, at the golf resort. The game had already been announced as an NBC telecast. The Colorado Avalanche and Vegas Golden Knights will play on Feb. 20.
Though there is a skating facility at the resort, the league will erect its own rink on the 16th, 17th and 18th holes.
As there will be no fans allowed, the “OutdoorWeekend” will be all about the visuals that the stunning mountain setting will create for a national television audience. The event will be limited to about 400 people, including just the teams’ traveling parties and people necessary to work the games.
The B’s had been one of a handful of teams who had been exploring the idea of staging outdoor games in hopes of recouping some lost revenue caused by the coronavirus pandemic. As of now, there are no fans allowed at the Garden. The B’s had confirmed that they had inquired with the city and state officials about the feasibility of staging such events at either Fenway or another possible location. But team president Cam Neely later said that it had become clear that the costs of putting together Winter Classic-type game or games would have been prohibitive.
But it looks like the B’s will at least get their dose of fresh air this season.