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Chris Stevenson

'Road to Winter Classic' ends with lifelong memories

David Satriano - NHL.com Staff Writer

Leading up to the 2016 Bridgestone NHL Winter Classic, the Boston Bruins and Montreal Canadiens were in similar situations. The Bruins had lost three straight heading into their final game before the Jan. 1 showdown at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Mass., and the Canadiens had a six-game losing streak.

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

Despite the losing streak, the Canadiens seem to be enjoying themselves playing softball in Tampa on Monday prior to their game that night against the Tampa Bay Lightning. But the newest member of the Canadiens is on the ice practicing: goalie Ben Scrivens, who was acquired in a trade with the Edmonton Oilers.

Hours later, once the softball has ended and the Canadiens get ready to hit the ice for the game, defenseman P.K. Subban fires up his teammates announcing the lineup in an expletive-filled speech.

After announcing the other four skaters in the lineup, Subban gets even more fired up.

"And then there's me, and you know we're [expletive] ready to go! Let's [expletive] go!" Subban yells before knocking over a stack of pucks and tossing a cart filled with Gatorade cups in the middle of the locker room.

His speech works; Subban and the Canadiens win 4-3 in a shootout.

Here are other highlights:

Winter Classic’s impact lasts beyond game

NHL.com

The Bridgestone NHL Winter Classic brings hockey back to its outdoor roots. It's a spectacle that has become a New Year's Day fixture. But the NHL Winter Classic's impact always goes well beyond the game itself, and the 2016 showdown between the Boston Bruins and Montreal Canadiens at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Mass., is no exception.

"When the Bridgestone NHL Winter Classic comes to town, the focus is rightfully on the spectacle and splendor of hockey returning to its origins outdoors," NHL Executive Vice President and Chief Marketing Officer Brian Jennings said. "But the positive impact of the NHL coming to town is often felt in the community before, during and long after the game on the ice has been played."

And while the majority of the focus was rightly on the 5-1 victory engineered by the Montreal Canadiens in a battle for first place in the Atlantic Division, the impacts on the community will be felt far beyond the magical Friday afternoon at the home of the New England Patriots.

16 moments to remember from the 2016 Winter Classic

Dan Rosen - NHL.com Senior Writer

FOXBOROUGH, Mass. -- The 2016 Bridgestone NHL Winter Classic is in the record books and it will forever go down as, simply, a 5-1 win for the Montreal Canadiens against the Boston Bruins at Gillette Stadium.

That the outcome means as much in the standings as the other 1,229 games on the NHL's regular season schedule is part of the charm of the League's now-annual New Year's Day event. But to experience it is something altogether different and special.

Since 2008, the Winter Classic has provided the NHL and hockey fans everywhere with indelible moments and incredible images that speak to the true spectacle that the event has become. The 2016 edition was no different.

Here are 16 of the best moments, big and small, of the eighth NHL Winter Classic:

Flynn: Canadiens' victory makes Classic special

Brian Flynn - Special to NHL.com

Montreal Canadiens forward Brian Flynn gives his perspective on playing in the 2016 Bridgestone NHL Winter Classic, a 5-1 victory Friday.

FOXBOROUGH, Mass. -- We just wanted to win the game.

And since we did that, I can fully appreciate the experience of playing in the Winter Classic.

I was really happy to have a lot of my family and friends here who helped me get here, especially my parents Christine and Michael.

Your parents are the biggest part of why you make it here. It's a lot of early practices, traveling, the cost to play hockey growing up, it's one of the most expensive sports to play. In terms of the time and financially, it's a huge commitment. So it was great to be able to experience this game with them.

Gallagher's return sparks Canadiens' victory

Arpon Basu - Managing Editor LNH.com

FOXBOROUGH, Mass. -- The Brendan Gallagher effect was real Friday at the 2016 Bridgestone NHL Winter Classic.

The Montreal Canadiens can only hope it lasts.

Gallagher returned to the lineup after missing 17 games with two fractured fingers on his left hand and made an instant impact up and down the lineup, sparking his team to a 5-1 win against the Boston Bruins.

"I think I only wanted to come back if I could help the team win and be a contributor. I think everyone did that," said Gallagher, who had a goal and an assist. "Nobody tried to do too much. Nobody did anything they're not normally asked to do. But shift after shift we went out and we got the job done."

Rask unhappy with Bruins' play in Winter Classic

Jon Lane - NHL.com Staff Writer

FOXBOROUGH, Mass. -- Goaltender Tuukka Rask did not hide his disgust with the Boston Bruins' performance in the 2016 Bridgestone NHL Winter Classic.

Rask did not mince words evaluating a 5-1 loss to the Montreal Canadiens, an outcome that would have been worse if Rask hadn't played so well in the first period, when the Bruins were outshot 14-3 and went 14:50 without a shot on goal.

Because Rask made 13 saves in the first period, the Bruins were still in the game; however, even a 1-0 deficit proved too big for them to overcome. Four of the five goals allowed by Rask were the result of some impressive hand-eye coordination on the part of the Canadiens, and he was often left to fend for himself.

"Embarrassing more than disappointing," Rask said. "Embarrassing loss. I haven't seen us play so bad in a while. It was bad. You would think that, especially when we're missing guys like we are, you'd have to play hard and stick with the system. It definitely didn't look like it today.

"Overall we definitely didn't deserve to win."

Subban's style suits Canadiens in Winter Classic win

Chris Stevenson - NHL.com Correspondent

FOXBOROUGH, Mass. -- Montreal Canadiens defenseman P.K. Subban didn't come away from the 2016 Bridgestone NHL Winter Classic at Gillette Stadium with an autograph from New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady, like teammate Mike Condon did.

But Subban was happy to have the two points that came with the Canadiens' 5-1 win against the Boston Bruins in the outdoor game and a chance to playfully take a shot at Brady and Boston fans.

Subban revealed where his NFL loyalties lie when asked how he felt about leaving empty-handed while Condon, a Patriots fan from Holliston, Mass., scored the autographs of Brady and coach Bill Belichick on his mask before the game.

"I'm a little rattled about that, but you know what? He's a hometown guy. I'm a (Dallas) Cowboys fan anyways," Subban said. "You know what? Tom doesn't want to sign me anything, so be it. Whatever. The Cowboys are better anyways."

Bruins play 'worst game at worst time' in Classic

Matt Kalman - NHL.com Correspondent

FOXBOROUGH, Mass. -- Boston Bruins coach Claude Julien succinctly summed up his players' performance in a 5-1 loss to the Montreal Canadiens in the 2016 Bridgestone NHL Winter Classic at Gillette Stadium on Friday.

"I think we played one of our probably worst games at the worst time," he said.

During two days of hype leading up to the NHL's marquee regular-season event, Bruins players spoke about wanting to shine in the unique atmosphere and get two points that would put them in first place in the Atlantic Division. Instead, the Bruins were outplayed from the start and outshot 14-3 in the first period.

Condon stars for Canadiens in homecoming game

David Satriano - NHL.com Staff Writer

FOXBOROUGH, Mass. -- Mike Condon's return to Gillette Stadium on Friday ended with a win, the same result often achieved when Condon sat in the upper deck to watch one of his idols, New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady, play football.

The Montreal Canadiens goalie from Holliston, Mass., was front and center in a 5-1 victory against the Boston Bruins at the 2016 Bridgestone NHL Winter Classic.

Condon said he has never met Brady but got his mask signed by him and Patriots coach Bill Belichick after practice Thursday.

"I'm pretty sure anything that Tom Brady touches turns to gold, so I was pretty happy," Condon said after making 27 saves. "Hopefully he got some mojo on my helmet there. I'm a huge fan of his and a huge fan of this organization, and I'm just happy to pay respect to them on the ice."

Many of Condon's family and friends were present, including his dad, a State Policeman in the area.

"Probably the most special (game of my career)," Condon said. "I had a lot of friends and family here tonight, Bruins-Habs, Gillette Stadium. Winter Classic on New Year's Day. I don't think you could script it any better."

Ferraro: Bruins unhappy with effort in Classic loss

Landon Ferraro - Special to NHL.com

Boston Bruins forward Landon Ferraro gives his perspective on playing in the 2016 Bridgestone NHL Winter Classic, a 5-1 loss Friday.

FOXBOROUGH, Mass. -- The Montreal Canadiens came out extremely hard and we didn't match that or even come close to it. They were all over us, and when you give a team like that, especially one that's been struggling and now they've started to put it back together, and they get Brendan Gallagher back, that's another big piece. They're playing with confidence. You give them that much that early, they're going to run with it, and it's hard to play catch-up in this league.

The message after the first period was that it's not like systems were adjusting or anything like that. It was simply, "We have to play." Our energy and our desire to get in on the forecheck and create turnovers and get the puck to the net just wasn't there. Every aspect needed to be better going into the second. We had some chances but it just wasn't going in. When that opportunity comes, you just try to make as much happen as possible. It just wasn't going in.

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