On New Year's Eve, in Chicago, Illinois at Wrigley Field, a beautiful game will be played. No, it won't be a glorious day for baseball, but instead, inside one of the oldest ballparks in the United States, a hockey game will be played.
The St. Louis Blues will be the visitors to the hometown Chicago Blackhawks. This is not going to be the first time for either of these teams to play in the great outdoor game, as they both played against each other, at Busch Stadium in St. Louis in 2017. Additionally, this is also the second Winter Classic to happen at Wrigley Field.
The Blackhawks are going to appear in the Winter Classic for the fifth time, and have yet to actually win the game, going 0-4. For the Blues, this will be the third time they have played outdoors, and won both of the first two match-ups.
Even though both teams are hovering around the bottom half of the Central Divison, there are all indications that this will be a fun game. With temperatures projected to be at 42 degrees and some slight cloud cover, it should be a perfect game for the ice conditions. Having the game in the windy city has historically been great for near-perfect ice conditions.
For the Blues, this is a big game for their season. With things starting to take a downward spiral, a change of scenery may help them. The fact that they have four games over the next 11 days is going to help them get back on track, as they can rest up and use practice to continue building their identity. This is the first meeting, out of three, for the Blues and Blackhawks this season.
Are you excited for the Winter Classic?