Holiday happenings on 'Road to the Winter Classic'

Hockey players are no different from fans. They watch NHL Network. They want to know who won, who lost, who scored, who got robbed. The good thing about it is, sometimes they get to see themselves doing great things. But sometimes it also means reliving a nightmare.

That's where the third episode of "EPIX Presents Road to the NHL Winter Classic" begins.

It's breakfast time on an off day in Nashville for the Montreal Canadiens. Defenseman P.K. Subban comes in wearing a suit, telling forward Dale Weise his suitcase wasn't big enough to pack street clothes. It was funny.

But playing in the background was NHL Network, with host Jamie Hersch introducing the highlights of Montreal's most recent game, a 6-2 loss at the Dallas Stars.

"Can we watch something else here?" Weise asks, looking around to no one in particular.

"Yeah, we gotta change this up," a fedora-wearing Subban says. "I really don't want to see myself go over the glass seven times."

But the channel doesn't get changed. It stays on, almost as if it was taunting Subban, Weise and their teammates at the breakfast table.

Subban stares at Weise with a look that says, "OK, here we go."

Weise stares at the television, unable to take his eyes off what was about to unfold in front of him, something he experienced less than 24 hours beforehand.

The highlights begin, starting with Jason Spezza's goal that put Dallas up 1-0.

"Dude, this goal is so [expletive] sick," Subban says to Weise.

"Oof, [expletive], what a move," Weise responds.

The next highlight is Weise missing an open net.

"How did I miss this?" he says.

"You hit the post twice?" Subban responds in a questioning tone.

"Both," Weise says. "Both posts. Watch this."

Then Weise seems angry.

"How many goals do you got, bud?" he says to Subban, who laughs. (Subban has one this season).

The Canadiens didn't do too much laughing on the ice throughout this episode. They lost all three games that were featured, not including the game at Dallas.

But there were better moments off the ice, and even some on it, featuring players, coaches and trainers from the Canadiens and Boston Bruins, who will play in the 2016 Bridgestone NHL Winter Classic at Gillette Stadium on Friday (1 p.m. ET; NBC, TVA Sports, SN).

Here are some of the highlights:

Cowboy Markov: After witnessing Subban and Weise watch with some agony the highlights of the loss, viewers got to go shopping in Nashville with Alex Galchenyuk and Alexei Emelin as they looked for a gift for teammate Andrei Markov.

Naturally, because they were in Nashville, they went looking for cowboy hats and boots. In addition to getting a hat for Markov, Galchenyuk seemed to enjoy the shopping himself and bought a hat of his own. He wore it walking out of the store.

"I'm pretty sure he can pull it off," Galchenyuk said of Markov and the hat. "Not only [Subban] can wear a hat; [Markov] can also pull it off. Hopefully now he's going to at least have the decency to pay for dinner."

They got to the hotel and knocked on Markov's door. Markov ushered his teammates in quickly, leaving the camera crew outside. Galchenyuk, though, delivered the goods with an iPhone picture of Markov in the hat.

"Only cowboy from Russia," he said.

Funniest scene: It's hard not to laugh seeing two hockey players doing some high-end shopping on Boston's Newbury Street. It's impossible not to laugh when you realize who Bruins center David Krejci and defenseman Torey Krug were shopping for.

"I love shopping for people I love," Krejci said.

He meant his dog.

"She misses me right now. We just went on a long road trip and I gotta make sure I spoil her," Krug said.

He also was talking about his dog.

Krejci and Krug bought some clothes and treats for their furry friends and the scene was a winner from start to finish.

"I gotta get him an outfit," Krejci said. "My wife loves when he's wearing some outfits. He's gotta look cute."

Krug said he and his wife only feed their dog, Fenway, gluten-free foods. Seriously.

"Crushed it," Krug said as he leaves the store.

Bench talk: It's always interesting to listen to what coaches and players say on the bench. In this episode, we gained some insight into what Bruins coach Claude Julien says to the officials.

Julien griped to referee Ian Walsh early in the third period of Boston's 2-0 loss to the St. Louis Blues about how Ryan Reaves was taking shots at Bruins players, specifically Brad Marchand.

"Reaves is [expletive] whacking our best players, so I don't know if you want our guys to give him the message …," Julien says.

"I think if he crosses the line we'll take care of it," Walsh responds. "We've talked about him."

"That's why [Marchand expletive] whacked him because he's whacking Marchy," Julien said.

"OK, but I think he hasn't crossed any line yet, but if he does we're on it. We know who he is. We know what's going on."

"Good."

Not long after, Bruins forward Tyler Randell dropped the gloves with Reaves. The Blues scored two goals after that.

Cool moment: The trainers for an NHL team are the unheralded people who do more work for the players than the players probably can comprehend, so it was nice to see prior to Montreal's game at the Minnesota Wild assistant coach Dan Lacroix hand the starting lineup card to head equipment manager Pierre Gervais so he could read it outloud.

Gervais is in his 18th season as the Canadiens head equipment manager and in his 28th season with the organization. Lacroix said he has more games in the NHL than the Canadiens players combined.

Gervais and the players looked like they were having a blast with the lineup. Gervais even made sure to mention where some of the players are from. He knows them that well. He's around them more than their families. That's the job of the equipment manager. They are a huge part of the team.

"What a start," Subban screams in the dressing room before going onto the ice.

It wasn't a fun finish. Montreal gave up the first goal for a fifth straight game and lost 2-1.

Christmas Eve at the Hayes': Sisters, aunts, brothers, uncles, cousins, grandparents, friends, parents -- it was quite a scene at Sheila and Kevin Hayes' house in Dorchester on Christmas Eve. Bruins forward Jimmy Hayes was the tour guide, introducing us to everyone in his family, including brother Kevin Hayes, a center for the New York Rangers.

The scene was like a whirlwind trying to keep up with everyone Hayes introduced to the cameras and the traditions the family has. It's worth watching. Frankly, anything with the Hayes family in "Road to the Winter Classic" has been worth watching.

"To have these boys home together is awesome," Sheila Hayes said. "They're great kids, they really are. Not just because they're mine, but they are great kids."

Molding young minds: After Christmas Eve with the Hayes, the show takes the viewer to Toronto for Christmas with the Subbans, including middle brother Malcolm Subban, a goaltender in the Bruins organization. P.K. yells at Malcolm for not helping him with his luggage.

"That's what happens when you have a Boston Bruin as a brother," P.K. said.

But the best part of the scene is when P.K. sits with his nephew, who is wearing a Bruins sweatshirt.

"What's going on with that sweatshirt?" P.K. says.

His nephew tells him he's wearing a Canadiens t-shirt underneath his Bruins sweatshirt, showing the Subban family pride. P.K. says he needs to see the shirt for proof, and when he sees it he tells his nephew, "and it's closer to your heart."

He asks him for his favorite team. The kid points to P.K.

"Don't tell Uncle Malcolm," P.K. says. "Smart kid. He gets it."

Extra family time: There were more Christmas scenes, including time with Canadiens captain Max Pacioretty and his family, Weise and his family, and Bruins defenseman Dennis Seidenberg and his family.

"I think I'd go crazy here if I didn't have a family here with the pressure and the stress," Pacioretty said. "But thankfully I don't have to deal with it because I come home and I'm a family man."

So is Krug, except he doesn't have children; he has Fenway.

"This is Fenway's first Christmas," Krug says, "and she's spoiled."

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