Bozak no stranger to big moments in outdoor games

Tyler Bozak is no stranger to scoring big goals in big outdoor games.
In 2014, with a record-setting 105,491 fans packed into Michigan Stadium in Ann Arbor for the NHL Winter Classic between the Toronto Maple Leafs and Detroit Red Wings, Bozak scored to put Toronto ahead 2-1 in the third period.
Detroit eventually tied the game, so Bozak came up big again - this time with the shootout-deciding goal to secure a 3-2 victory.

"I came down the ice and did what I always do, try and shoot more so than deke," Bozak told stlouisblues.com. "I knew the ice was snowy and the conditions weren't great, so I didn't want to stickhandle too much with the chance to win it. That was a no-pressure situation - if I didn't score, the shootout kept going, and if I did, the game was over. It was a great situation for me, and luckily enough, I was able to sneak one in there."

Bozak will be playing in his fourth outdoor game on Saturday when the Blues meet the Minnesota Wild in the 2022 Discover NHL Winter Classic at Target Field (6 p.m. CT, TNT, 101 ESPN). His three previous outdoor games - a Winter Classic, Centennial Classic and a Stadium Series game - were all played with the Maple Leafs.
"They're always fun," Bozak said. "Obviously it's a little different than a normal game, being outside and in the cold. It's a big event for the NHL that draws a lot of attention to us. I know most of the guys in the League grow up playing hockey outside, so it's cool to go back to that and have some fun with it.
"It will be exciting to play in another one."