NHL Winter Classic countdown underway

NEW YORK - With just one month until the 2019 Bridgestone NHL Winter Classic®, the countdown to the much-anticipated Original Six™ matchup between the Boston Bruins and Chicago Blackhawks on Tuesday, Jan. 1 at Notre Dame Stadium in South Bend, Ind. has begun. The event will be broadcast live nationally on NBC in the U.S. and on Sportsnet and TVA Sports in Canada at 1 p.m. ET. Tickets to the 2019 Bridgestone NHL Winter Classic® are still available at
Ticketmaster.com
and the Ticketmaster app, the official ticketing partner of the NHL®.

The 2019 Bridgestone NHL Winter Classic® continues the tradition the League established in 2008 of hosting a regular-season outdoor game at the inception of the new year, with this year's edition marking the 11-year anniversary of the first NHL Winter Classic in Buffalo.
The New Year's Day matchup will be Chicago's fourth NHL Winter Classic appearance and Boston's third. The Blackhawks previous appearances in the NHL Winter Classic include the 2009 NHL Winter Classic against the Detroit Red Wings at Wrigley Field (6-4 loss), and road trips to play the Washington Capitals in 2015 at Nationals Park (3-2 loss) and the St. Louis Blues in 2017 at Busch Stadium (4-1 loss). The Bruins hosted their two previous NHL Winter Classic games; a 2-1 overtime win against the Philadelphia Flyers at Fenway Park in 2010 and a 5-1 loss to the Montreal Canadiens in 2016 at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough.
The Bruins and Blackhawks have faced off in 588 regular-season games since the 1926-27 season, with the Bruins holding a 615-567 edge in points over the Blackhawks (BOS 266-239-83-615; CHI 243-264-81-567). In addition, the Bruins and Blackhawks have met seven times in the Stanley Cup® Playoffs, with Boston winning five of those series. Most recently, the two clubs met in the 2013 Stanley Cup® Final, where Chicago defeated Boston in six games, a series that was decided when Dave Bolland tallied the game-winning goal at 19:01 in the third period of Game 6 (the latest Stanley Cup® game-winner scored in regulation).

The Rink Build at Notre Dame Stadium

The 2019 Bridgestone NHL Winter Classic® Ice Plant will arrive at Notre Dame Stadium in South Bend on Monday, Dec. 17. After the installation of field protection, 243 ice pans and a ring of dasher boards to enclose the rink, workers will create a nearly two-inch thick ice surface at Notre Dame Stadium. Fans will be able to follow the entire rink-build process through interactive features and extensive coverage on NHL Social™, NHL.com and NHL Network™.

NHL/NHLPA Future Goals™ Ice Making 101 Field Trip at Notre Dame Stadium

Students from Chicago's Funston Elementary School will take part in a field trip on Wednesday, Dec. 19 at Notre Dame Stadium. All students have participated in the NHL/NHLPA Future Goals™ - Hockey Scholar program, an online educational course that uses hockey to explore real-life applications of fundamental STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math) concepts. As part of the tour, Mike Craig, NHL Senior Manager, Facilities Operations & Hockey Operations, will host an "Ice Making 101" discussion with the students.

2019 Bridgestone NHL Winter Classic Park™

The 2019 Bridgestone NHL Winter Classic® festivities will begin in Chicago's Jay Pritzker Pavilion at Millennium Park with the Bridgestone NHL Winter Classic Park™, a three-day free fan festival. From Dec. 29-31, the NHL and its corporate partners will treat hockey fans to a host of attractions, food, live music, autograph sessions featuring former Chicago Blackhawks and Boston Bruins greats and a special appearance by the oldest and most revered trophy in sports - the Stanley Cup®. A complete schedule of events for Bridgestone NHL Winter Classic Park™ will be announced at a later date. For more information, visit NHL.com/WinterClassic.

2019 Bridgestone NHL Winter Classic® Legacy Event

The 2019 Bridgestone NHL Winter Classic® Legacy Initiative will benefit the Robinson Community Learning Center in South Bend, Ind. On Dec. 31, children from the Robinson Community Learning Center will watch the Blackhawks practice at Notre Dame Stadium, and the National Hockey League and the Chicago Blackhawks Foundation will present a check to the Robinson Community Learning Center to support the construction of a new Learning Center. In addition, more than 200 participants from Robinson Community Learning Center will be on hand to watch the 2019 Bridgestone NHL Winter Classic® on New Year's Day.

Team Practices at Notre Dame Stadium

The Bruins and Blackhawks will take to the ice for the first time at Notre Dame Stadium for team practices on Monday, Dec. 31. NHL Social™, NHL Network™ and NHL.com will provide full coverage of the team skates throughout the day.

NHL Fan Access App

Fans are encouraged to download the NHL Fan Access App for exclusive prizes and opportunities at the 2019 Bridgestone NHL Winter Classic Park™, including the chance to win tickets to the 2019 Bridgestone NHL Winter Classic®, Shop.NHL.com, EA Sports and Dunkin' gift cards, and autographed jerseys and hockey cards, plus more.

Fan Reminders

All persons and their possessions entering Notre Dame Stadium during the 2019 Bridgestone NHL Winter Classic® Game are subject to inspection and security screening. The bag policy allows for only clear plastic, vinyl or PVC bags that do not exceed 12" x 6" x 12" in size. Clear bags may have a logo on one side so long as said logo does not exceed 4.5" x 3.4". Small clutch bags with or without a handle, strap or wallets that do not exceed 4.5" x 6.5", or approximately the size of a hand, are allowable and do not need to be clear plastic. One-gallon clear plastic zip bags (such as Ziploc or Hefty bags) are also allowable. Exceptions will be made for approved medical bags or equipment, which will be inspected at designated gates. Guests may not exit and re-enter Notre Dame Stadium using the same ticket.