2011 NHL Winter Classic Preview: Pittsburgh Penguins vs. Washington Capitals

On January 1, 2011, the Pittsburgh Penguins will host the Washington Capitals at Heinz Field for the Winter Classic.

The NHL will have the two biggest stars in the NHL on the ice during this game in Sidney Crosby and Alex Ovechkin and will surely be looking to capitalize on their marketability.

Next to the Stanley Cup Playoffs, the Winter Classic has become the signature event of the NHL.

This will most likely be the first of a few previews leading up to the game.

Enjoy!

Will the Winter Classic Punch the Caps Ticket to the Stanley Cup Final?

If history holds, yes, it will.

In 2008, the Penguins were the visiting team; they made the Stanley Cup Finals.

In 2009, the Detroit Red Wings were the visiting team; they made the Stanley Cup Finals.

In 2010, the Philadelphia Flyers were the visiting team; they made the Stanley Cup Finals.

If history holds true, they will also lose in the Final, as none of the above teams won the Cup in those years.

Will NHL Ice Guru Dan Craig Have Enough Time To Get the Ice Ready?

Last year Craig and his crew began work at Fenway Park on December 10.

This year, the NHL will not have access to the field until after the Pittsburgh Steelers wrap up a home game on December 23. 

NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman seemed confident that the shortened window would not be an issue.

"We learned in Buffalo the first year, which was a football stadium, exactly how much time we needed to set up the rink," Bettman told the NHL Network. "Since the Buffalo event we actually purchased our own outdoor rink which we have and our ice people have familiarity with. We're confident, and we've obviously promised the Steelers that we can get this done in the right time frame."

Ticket/Seating Controversy?

Earlier this year, there was some talk of a controversy surrounding the number of tickets provided to the Capitals and their fans.

Insidepittsburghsports.com reported that some Penguins season ticket holders were upset with the seats they were given and the price they had to pay for them for the game.

The Web site also stated, "For getting the Capitals to participate in the game on the road, Capitals ownership demanded an allotment of 12,000+ tickets."

This claim is not attributed to anyone associated with either team so I can't confirm how true it is.

These Teams Do Not Like Each Other

Remember this one? Max Talbot and "Douchegate."

Crosby and Ovechkin

These guys are not the biggest fans of each other. 

This game will most likely have the largest audience to date for a matchup between the two. 

Will the game provide some highlight reel moments in the rivalry?

Scoring

Bruce Bennett/Getty Images

As I write this, the two teams in this game have three players in the top 10 in scoring:

Sidney Crosby: 36 points

Alex Ovechkin: 29 points

Alex Semin: 26 points

Nicklas Backstrom is just outside the top 10 with 24 points.

With that kind of firepower on the ice, don't look for a shutout.

Highlight Reel Finish

Will we see another finish like the one in 2008?

Superstar vs. "Best Player in The Solar System"

In the preview to their upcoming four-part special, "24/7: Capitals-Penguins Road to the Winter Classic," the narration referred to Sidney Crosby as a "superstar" and then called Alex Ovechkin "arguably the best player in the solar system."

Is that quote already hanging up in the Penguins dressing room?

Ratings

The 2008 game in Buffalo between the Buffalo Sabres and the Penguins drew a 2.6 rating.

The 2009 game at Wrigley Field featuring the Chicago Blackhawks and the Detroit Red Wings drew a 2.9 rating, a 12 percent increase in viewers from the previous year.

The 2010 game between the Boston Bruins and the Philadelphia Flyers had a 2.6 rating.

A rating point is equal to 1 percent of the total American households with a television. In 2010, a rating point equates to 1.159 million viewers.

With the Penguins vs. Capitals matchup, the NHL will look to get back to the 2009 ratings.

Stay Tuned

As game day approaches, I will add additional slideshows.

Until then enjoy the highlights from the past Winter Classics.