NHL Winter Classic: 10 Reasons To Watch Other Than Sidney Crosby
Following an epic battle between the Pittsburgh Penguins and Washington Capitals Thursday night, the 2011 Bridgestone NHL Winter Classic carries with it many high expectations for another clash under the scope of a national audience.
Based on the current progression of this season, Penguins captain Sidney Crosby probably holds the highest expectations because of his consistently dominant play since the start of the season.
However, he isn't the only reason why you should tune to NBC at 1pm to kick off the New Year.
The Winter Classic, with the hype surrounding it since rumors of Washington and Pittsburgh's participation in the event began, is quickly becoming a widely anticipated match between a constantly growing rivalry. Thus far, games between the Caps and the Pens have not disappointed.
The Winter Classic will not either.
Here are 10 reasons, other than Sidney Crosby, to watch the 2011 NHL Winter Classic.
Laura Falcon is a Featured Columnist for the Pittsburgh Penguins. Follow her on Twitter or email her at lfalcon@mail.umw.edu with any comments or questions.
Pittsburgh
1 of 10
So maybe watching a hockey game to see the host city can be considered weak, but there is something very special about the city of Pittsburgh.
The city itself is a gem hidden away from the rest of the world, wedged in the slopes of the river valley on the opposite side of the Monongahela River. The infamous three rivers meet in downtown Pittsburgh for a picturesque landscape that is its own type of beautiful.
Pittsburgh is so often remembered as the home of the steel mills, constantly under a shadowy fog that hovered over the city. It has evolved with the times since then, but the landscape and geography still make it a staple city to not only look at, but visit as well.
Tune in to the Winter Classic to watch the game itself, but instead of switching the channel once play stops for a TV timeout, pause for a second and take a look at the beautiful skyline that sure to be shown before every commercial.
You won't be sorry.
HBO-Worthy Moments
2 of 10
HBO's "24/7" series chronicling the times of the Pens and Caps leading up to the Winter Classic is a huge reason why there is so much hype behind the event.
Who will get the happy ending in the series?
More so than the final score at the end of the game, what will come up during the game that could make it onto the show?
A cheap hit?
A Bruce Boudreau f-bomb freak out?
A fight between Crosby and Ovechkin (okay, maybe not)?
This game is going to ride on emotion that has been building up for months so something is bound to happen.
Doc Emrick
3 of 10
The voice of the NHL games on NBC, Verses (sometimes) and the New Jersey Devils.
Doc Emrick always makes listening to hockey a pleasure and his play-by-play of the Winter Classic should be no different.
He has tremendous knowledge of not only the game of hockey itself, but of the players and coaches as well. This includes little inside tidbits you wouldn't hear anywhere else so you're guaranteed to walk away from the game knowing something knew.
Most importantly, his game calls are very fair which makes listening to game easy on the ears for fans of both teams.
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The Fans
4 of 10
Washington and Pittsburgh claim very passionate fan bases, easily noted by meetings between the Caps and the Pens in both the regular season and the playoffs.
On this stage, I expect the passion levels to be magnified tenfold. The looming cold weather aside, the fans are going to be electrifying in the stands of Heinz Field.
Signs will riddle the stands, both negative and positive, fans will be half-clothed with the marks of their team etched on their bare chests, and the chants will be constant and sometimes merciless.
The interesting part is despite the fact this is a home game for the Pens, Caps fans are expected to make up about half of those attending. No more home ice advantage, this is an even playing field in terms of attendance.
The fans technically become the "6th skater" on a hockey team, but for which team will it be?
Will The Caps Continue Their Regular Season Domination Of The Pens?
5 of 10
The Pens and Caps always have interesting match ups, however, they have been pretty one-sided.
In the last three seasons, the Caps have completely dominated the Pens during the regular season. The Caps have taken away at least one point in every game, two points in all but two games including last night's game.
That means the Pens have won just two games out of nine against the Caps in the last three seasons so far.
The playoffs are a totally different story, however. With four wins in the seven-game 2009 Stanley Cup Semi-Finals series, the Pens erased any bad tastes from going 1-3 in the season. In fact, that series win put the Pens on top of the Caps in seven out of eight meetings in the post-season.
In hockey, the playoffs are what really matter.
In their game yesterday, the Pens made things interesting with a rare win against the Caps in the season, but will history continue with the Caps taking the Winter Classic?
Or will the Pens find a way to change that?
Alex Ovechkin
6 of 10
If you're watching the Winter Classic because of Crosby, then you should be watching because of Alex Ovechkin as well.
After all, Ovechkin's journey in the NHL has been just as interesting as Crosby's. His individual and regular season success has been frequent as his speeches at the NHL Awards podium.
His success was rewarded when the organization dubbed him the 14th captain of the Washington Capitals.
Honors aside, Ovechkin plays an exciting style of hockey that is full of energy and emotion, making for an entertaining two-and-a-half hours of hockey. Plus the guy can score.
As of late, Ovechkin has lost that spark that makes him uniquely Ovechkin since the Caps' recent slump, but that could all change with a fortuitous bounce.
Sidney Crosby Vs. Alex Ovechkin
7 of 10
You're watching Crosby, you're watching Ovechkin, so naturally you have to see what happens when these two meet head-to-head.
Since their entrance into the NHL in 2005, it has been nothing short of exciting.
Crosby and Ovechkin are both players who find a way to change games through their skill, hard work, and intense love for the game. When they face each other, their best hockey comes to the surface and it's something no one has seen in a long time.
Ovechkin's career numbers against Pittsburgh are the highest in comparison to the rest of the NHL teams.
Crosby's numbers against Washington aren't too shabby either.
And who can forget Game 2 of the 2009 Stanley Cup semi-final when both Crosby and Ovechkin recorded hat tricks?
The NHL's best rests in what these two players bring to the table so America is in for a treat when they watch to see what Crosby and Ovechkin have up their sleeves when they meet.
The Other Stars
8 of 10
Despite what the NHL sometimes thinks, Crosby and Ovechkin aren't the only two players to play for the Pens and Caps.
There is an incredible amount of talent that trickles down from power and skill forwards to strong goaltending.
For the Pens, there's the smooth Evgeni Malkin whose quick hands made him the Conn Smyth winner in 2009. Rookies Mark Letestu and Chris Conner have impressed since entering the League with consist effort and incredibly energy that made them a part of an inseparable line.
On defense, Kris Letang is enjoying a booming season that has him at or near the top of defensemen in scoring while rarely losing a step in his defensive play. The defense overall has been a huge factor for the Pens' success, but goalie Marc-Andre Fleury has been a hero between the pipes.
For the Caps, there's Alex Semin who has established himself as a deadly sniper with one of the sickest wrist shots in the NHL. Nick Backstrom's game has shown an impressive evolution as he becomes a more and more well-rounded hockey player with every passing season. And then there are players like Brooks Laich and Dave Steckel who quietly do their jobs without any kind of flashiness.
Defense has been a rough spot for the Caps in recent seasons, but they hope to remedy this with players like rookie John Carlson who is finding his place as a two-way defenseman and stronger overall play from Mike Green and recently-acquired Scott Hannan. In goal, the fight for top spot between Michal Neuvirth and Semyon Varlamov continues.
Both teams are loaded with talent which is what makes them so fun to watch in the first place.
The Rivalry
9 of 10
On the ice, the Pens and Caps don't like each other.
In the stands, the Pens and Caps fans hate each other.
To say the hate flies when these two teams, and communities, meet would be a tremendous understatement.
Since most of people will be watching of the Winter Classic from their living rooms, they won't see what's happening in the stands. But they will see what's going on in the ice.
Expect post-whistle scrums and a lot of chirping, maybe even a fight if Matt Hendricks makes the lineup.
Either way, the rivalry that digs deep in the past between these two teams generates a good amount of hatred that always makes for good TV.
The Outdoor Game
10 of 10
If you're going to tune in to the Winter Classic, you might as well tune in to enjoy a game of hockey in its purest form: in the outdoors.
Players are going to be sent back to the times when hockey games were on frozen ponds in their backyards or on the streets of their neighborhoods. All of a sudden, the weather becomes a major factor in the game.
Who's going to be able to hack it, especially if it starts to snow?
Hockey is a beautiful game to watch, all the more when it's between two teams like the Caps and the Pens where a vibrant hatred shows the history between the two.
The Winter Classic is sure to impress fans and non-fans alike because of the uniqueness that surrounds the event, making it a special moment of the year not only for the NHL, but sports as well.
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