Flyers fall short in thrilling Winter Classic

It was just 1 game of 82 on the schedule but the Winter Classic lived up to all of the hype, producing an exciting game in a beautiful environment.  While the Flyers did end up falling short, losing 3-2 to the Rangers, it was still an experience that the team and the city won't soon forget.

The Flyers got on the board first after Brayden Schenn scored his first NHL goal in the second period of the game.  It was the second time that a Flyer scored his first NHL goal in a Winter Classic as Danny Syvret also accomplished that feat back in 2010.  The Flyers then added a second goal later in the second period after Claude Giroux scored off a pass from Max Talbot but everything went downhill from there for the Flyers.  Not only did the Rangers score just 30 seconds later but they dominated the play for much of the rest of the game, building a 3-2 lead after a pair of Mike Rupp (!!) goals and a Brad Richards tally.

The Flyers had their chances late, including a powerplay and a late penalty shot but Rangers goaltender Henrik Lundqvist proved to be too good, stoning the Flyers on 34 of their 36 shots and playing like the elite goaltender he is.  If only the Flyers could ever have a goaltender as good as Lundqvist....

Things will now get back to normal for the Flyers, who still find themselves in the upper half of the Eastern Conference playoff picture but have been skidding as of late, losing 3 of their last 4.  Perhaps getting away from the HBO cameras will help someone like Ilya Bryzgalov remember how to play hockey again and help the team out of their slide.

The 2012 Winter Classic definitely lived up to everything it was expected to be.  How about we do that again sometime?

Flyers to host 2012 Winter Classic

After participating in the 2010 Winter Classic at Fenway, it appears that the Flyers won’t have to wait very long to host an outdoor game of their own. Rumors have flown all day but Tim Pannacio has confirmed it: the Flyers will host the 2012 Winter Classic, at Citizens Bank Park, against the New York Rangers on January 2nd, 2012.

While the Winter Classic is normally played on January 1st, the NHL has pushed the game back a day because the Eagles are hosting the Redskins on New Years Day at Lincoln Financial. With the rest of the NFL also playing on New Years Day, it makes sense that the NHL would move the game and attract as many eyeballs as possible.

It’s likely that much of the NHL will be upset that the Flyers get to participate in another Winter Classic so soon, but for Philadelphia fans, this is awesome news. The Flyers and Rangers are both huge draws, so the NHL is sure to make plenty of money on the game and Philly will be in the spotlight the entire time. You can also expect HBO to make their 24/7 documentary for the weeks leading up to the game, so that’s going to be another awesome experience for Flyers fans.

Good choice, NHL. You’ve rewarded some of the best fans in hockey with one of the most exciting games of the year. Philadelphia won’t let you down.