Showing posts with label
2017 NHL Coors Light Stadium Series Game(s).
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Showing posts with label
2017 NHL Coors Light Stadium Series Game(s).
Show all posts
GUENTZEL STEERS PENGUINS TO STADIUM SERIES WIN
Rookie Jake Guentzel, appearing in his 23rd NHL game, had two assists, including a feed to Sidney Crosby on the opening goal of the game, to help the Pittsburgh Penguins to a 4-2 win against the Philadelphia Flyers in the 2017 Coors Light NHL Stadium Series, their second win in a regular-season outdoor game (also 2008 WC at BUF).
* Guentzel's multi-point game was the second of his brief NHL career; the 22-year-old native of Omaha, Nebraska, made headlines by scoring twice in his League debut against the New York Rangers on Nov. 21. His first goal came on his first shot of his first shift just 62 seconds into the game, the fastest goal ever by a Pittsburgh player in his NHL debut.
* Crosby scored his League-leading 34th goal of the season (54 GP), two shy of his total from 2015-16 (80 GP). He has compiled 84 points (36 goals, 48 assists) in 57 NHL regular-season games against the Flyers, an average of 1.47 points per game.
* Matt Murray (36 saves) improved to 23-7-3 to move within one victory of matching the single-season Penguins record for wins by a rookie goaltender set by Gary Inness in 1974-75 (24-18-10).
STADIUM SERIES QUICK HITS
* Elias notes that Matt Cullen (40 years, 115 days) became the third player aged 40+ to score a goal in an NHL regular-season outdoor game, following Mark Recchi of the Boston Bruins (41 years, 334 days) vs. PHI in 2010 at Fenway Park and Daniel Alfredsson of the Detroit Red Wings (41 years, 21 days) vs. TOR in 2014 at the Big House.
* The sellout crowd of 67,318 at the 2017 Coors Light NHL Stadium Series raised total attendance for the League's 22 regular-season outdoor games to 1,208,317 -- an average of 54,924 per game.
* The Penguins became the eighth home team to win a regular-season outdoor NHL game (22 GP: 8-12-2) and the third to do so this season, joining the Toronto Maple Leafs and St. Louis Blues.
Outdoor Game Results, 2016-17 Regular Season
2016 Tim Hortons NHL Heritage Classic: Oilers 3 at Jets 0
2017 Scotiabank NHL Centennial Classic: Maple Leafs 5 vs. Red Wings 4 (OT)
2017 Bridgestone NHL Winter Classic: Blues 4 vs. Blackhawks 1
2017 Coors Light NHL Stadium Series: Penguins 4 vs. Flyers 2
SATURDAY'S RESULTS
Home Team in Caps
LOS ANGELES 4, Anaheim 1
NASHVILLE 5, Washington 2
COLUMBUS 7, NY Islanders 0
NY Rangers 4, NEW JERSEY 3 (OT)
Montreal 3, TORONTO 2 (OT)
PITTSBURGH 4, Philadelphia 2
San Jose 4, VANCOUVER 1
COLORADO 5, Buffalo 3
STARS LEAD TEAMS TO VICTORY
The Nashville Predators (30-22-9, 69 points), Montreal Canadiens (33-21-6, 74 points) and Los Angeles Kings (30-27-4, 64 points) each earned wins via key performances from star players:
* Filip Forsberg (1-2-3) had three points for the third consecutive game (7-2-9) to help the Predators defeat the League-leading Washington Capitals and improve to 4-1-1 in their past six games. Elias notes that Forsberg, who scored hat tricks against the Calgary Flames on Feb. 21 and the Colorado Avalanche on Feb. 23, became the second player in Predators history to total at least three points in three consecutive team games; he joined Scott Walker, who accomplished the feat from Feb. 18-21, 2004 (2-8-10). The Predators moved past the idle Blues (31-24-5, 67 points) to claim sole possession of third place in the Central Division.
* Carey Price made 32 saves and Andrew Shaw (1-1-2) scored at 1:06 of overtime to help the Canadiens to their 14th consecutive win against the Maple Leafs since March 1, 2014 (TOR: 0-9-5). Price earned the 259th win of his NHL career (all w/ MTL) to pass Ken Dryden (258) for sole possession of third on the Canadiens' all-time list. The Atlantic Division-leading Canadiens increased their lead to four points over the idle Ottawa Senators (32-21-6, 70 points).
* Los Angeles scored four times in the third period and Jonathan Quick made 32 saves in his first start since sustaining a lower-body injury on opening night in a 4-1 victory against the Anaheim Ducks. Darryl Sutter earned his 216th win with the Kings to pass Andy Murray (215) for the most by a coach in their history. The Kings climbed within three points of the Blues for the second wild card into the Stanley Cup Playoffs from the Western Conference.
DID YOU KNOW?
Forward Auston Matthews scored twice to become the third rookie in Maple Leafs history to reach the 30-goal mark in a season, joining Wendel Clark (34) in 1985-86 and Daniel Marois (31) in 1988-89.
* Matthews moved back into a tie with Patrik Laine for the most goals among rookies this season. Elias notes that 2016-17 marks the first time since the NHL Draft was introduced in 1963 that the top two picks each scored at least 30 goals the following season.
* In fact, only two other pairs of top-two picks have reached the 25-goal mark in the season following their draft: Guy Lafleur (29) and Marcel Dionne (28) in 1971-72 and Bobby Smith (30) and Ryan Walter (28) in 1978-79.
LOOSE PUCKS
Adam Clendening tied the game with 4:25 remaining in the third period and Mika Zibanejad (1-1-2) scored the first overtime goal of his NHL career to power the Rangers to their League-leading 21st road win (21-8-0, 42 points) . . . Joonas Korpisalo (24 saves) earned the first shutout of his NHL career and the Columbus Blue Jackets ended their season-long seven-game homestand with a 7-0 win against the New York Islanders. . . The Pacific Division-leading San Jose Sharks (36-18-7, 79 points) extended their point streak to six games (3-0-3) . . . Avalanche goaltender Jeremy Smith (34 saves) earned the first win of his NHL career (3 GP) . . . Buffalo Sabres defenseman Rasmus Ristolainen (0-6-6 in 6 GP), Sharks defenseman Brent Burns (5-3-8 in 5 GP) and Sabres forward Jack Eichel (0-5-5 in 5 GP) each extended point streaks . . . Capitals captain Alex Ovechkin skated in the 900th game of his NHL career . . . Vancouver Canucks defenseman Evan McEneny made his NHL debut . . . Commissioner Gary Bettman upheld the 10-game suspension that was assessed to Ducks forward Antoine Vermette for violating Rule 40.3 (Physical Abuse of Officials) . . . Antonio Brown of the NFL's Pittsburgh Steelers addressed the crowd prior to the 2017 Coors Light NHL Stadium Series.
SNEAK PEEK AT SUNDAY'S ACTION
All Times Eastern
Boston @ Dallas, 12:30 p.m., NBC
Calgary @ Carolina, 3 p.m., FS-SE, SNW
Edmonton @ Nashville, 5 p.m., SN360, FS-TN
Columbus @ NY Rangers, 5 p.m., NHLN-US, MSG, FS-O
St. Louis @ Chicago, 7:30 p.m., NBCSN
Ottawa @ Florida, 7:30 p.m., SN, SN360, TVA Sports, FS-F
Buffalo @ Arizona, 8:30 p.m., FS-A, MSG-B
DAVE STRADER RETURNS TO NHL ON NBC BROADCAST BOOTH
Veteran play-by-play commentator Dave Strader will return to NHL on NBC and call the NHL Game of the Week between the Bruins (31-24-6, 68 points) and Dallas Stars (24-27-10, 58 points) at American Airlines Center. Boston occupies the second wild card into the playoffs from Eastern Conference and trails Toronto (28-20-13, 69 points) for third in the Atlantic Division. Dallas aims to inch closer to St. Louis (31-24-5, 67 points) for the second wild card from the West.
HOMETOWN HOCKEY TOUR STOPS IN NANAIMO, B.C.
The Edmonton Oilers (33-21-8, 74 points) visit the Predators (30-22-9, 69 points) on Rogers Hometown Hockey, which will showcase the city of Nanaimo, B.C. Throughout the 2016-17 season, Sunday games will be broadcast from a different community rink in various towns across Canada. Included in each telecast will be local NHL player profiles, grassroots stories and local entertainment features.
- NHL Public Relations
By ASSOCIATED PRESS
PITTSBURGH (AP) – The pomp. The circumstance. The spectacle. Sidney Crosby’s used to all of it. So the message the Pittsburgh Penguins captain and the rest of the veterans sent to their teammates making their first appearances in an NHL Stadium Series game was pretty simple.
Yeah, this is pretty cool. Just don’t forget to do your job.
”You need to understand as much as you want to take it all, (these are) important points and playing Philadelphia, it’s going to be an intense game,” Crosby said.
One that allowed Crosby to close one chapter in his career while inching closer to first-place Washington in the process. Crosby picked up his league-leading 34th goal in the same venue where his career took an abrupt turn five years ago as the Penguins pulled away late for a 4-2 victory Saturday night at blustery Heinz Field.
The two-time MVP was at the peak of his powers and the league’s leading scorer heading into the 2011 Winter Classic when a hit to the head by Washington’s Dave Steckel changed the arc of Crosby’s career. He spent the better part of two calendar years recovering, though he hardly wanted to talk about it in his return to Heinz Field, saying he simply hoped for a better ending this time around.
”I think it was just special at any point to be able to play outside and score, but especially here and given what happened before,” Crosby said.
Matt Cullen, Nick Bonino and Chad Ruhwedel also scored for Pittsburgh, which thrilled the capacity crowd at the home of the NFL’s Steelers by capitalizing on some shaky goaltending by Michal Neuvirth. Jake Guentzel picked up two assists while Matt Murray made 35 saves as the Penguins drew within five points of Metropolitan Division-leading Washington.
Jakub Voracek and Shayne Gostisbehere scored for Philadelphia, but Neuvirth stopped just 25 of 29 shots as the Flyers dropped to 0-3 in outdoor games. Even worse, Philadelphia failed to pick up any ground as it tries to stay within shouting distance of one of the two wild-card spots in the Eastern Conference.
”Obviously that stretch we’re on right now, it’s very difficult,” Flyers defenseman Mark Streit said. ”We’ve got to turn the corner here, move forward and win hockey games. There’s no time left.”
Despite a downright tropical week that saw temperatures soar into the mid-70s by Friday afternoon – more suitable for some pickup street hockey than a sheet of ice in the middle of an NFL stadium – Mother Nature dished out a pretty timely assist to league organizers hours before the puck dropped. A cold front fueled arrived late Saturday afternoon, and by the time Crosby and Claude Giroux stood across from one another for the opening faceoff, it was a seasonable 36 degrees with a hint of snow.
The lone complication didn’t come from warmth but the wind. Gusts at ice level became so disruptive the NHL decided to have the teams switch sides midway through the third period in an effort to even out the amount of time the teams shot in each direction.
”The first period was tough, not going to lie,” Voracek said. ”A little bit wind in your face. But in the end it evened out, 30 minutes each way. It was fun.”
While appreciative of the chance to play on such a unique stage – particularly one framed by a replica of one of the famous ”Three Sister” bridges that span the adjacent Allegheny River – the teams stressed the need to focus on the stakes and not the festival-like atmosphere.
It was, thanks in no small part to Crosby’s brilliance. He helped the Penguins shake off a slow start by working himself free at the right circle and taking a slick feed from Guentzel and firing it into the open net 11:18 into the first to give Pittsburgh the lead. Bonino doubled the advantage 6:44 into the second when he drilled a slap shot by Neuvirth on the power play.
The Flyers drew within one just past the midway point when Voracek muscled his way from the corner to the front net and slipped it by Murray.
No matter. Cullen picked up his 10th of the season when he stuffed his own rebound by Neuvirth 1:50 into the third and while Gostisbehere’s slap shot from the point 6:48 into the third gave Philadelphia life, Ruhwedel’s shot from the point threaded its way through a sea of bodies to give the Penguins all the breathing room they’d need.
NOTES: Pittsburgh went 1 for 5 on the power play. The Flyers were 1 for 4. … Pittsburgh D Ron Hainsey, acquired in a trade with Carolina on Thursday, played 21:08 minutes in his debut. … Penguins D Kris Letang did not play due to an upper-body injury. … Steelers All-Pro wide receiver Antonio Brown served as the pregame emcee, introducing the Penguins to the capacity crowd. … The Penguins also played a video montage of team highlights set to the song ”Renegade” by Styx, a staple at Steeler games. … Attendance was 67,318.
UP NEXT
Flyers: Host Colorado on Tuesday. Philadelphia beat the Avalanche 4-3 in the first meeting on Dec. 14.
Penguins: Begin a road-heavy portion of their schedule in Dallas on Tuesday. Pittsburgh plays seven of its next nine away from PPG Paints Arena.
Stats, LLC
PITTSBURGH — Sidney Crosby has been nothing but upbeat about the Pittsburgh Penguins’ fourth outdoor game, Saturday against the Philadelphia Flyers at Heinz Field.
He has no apparent reservations about participating in one of the NHL’s Stadium Series spectacles, even though he and the Penguins have had mixed results playing without a roof. Moreover, despite being a superstitious sort, Crosby can smile at the prospect of returning to the stadium normally occupied by the NFL’s Pittsburgh Steelers.
In the 2011 Winter Classic at Heinz Field, a 3-2 loss to Washington, Crosby got clocked by a blindside hit by the Capitals’ David Steckel, resulting in a concussion and heavily chronicled complications that forced Crosby to missed 101 games over the next season and a half in the prime of his career.
“I’m looking for a bit better outcome than last time,” Crosby said. “It will be nice just to get out there. Playing outside is something that’s special no matter where it is. To be here at home again and hopefully have a better memory of playing outside — that’s kind of the way I’m looking at it.”
Crosby was the hero in the first Winter Classic, in 2008, when he scored the winning shootout goal for a 2-1 win over Buffalo in a snow globe atmosphere at Ralph Wilson Stadium. He and Pittsburgh had a forgettable time in a March 1, 2014, outdoor Stadium Series game at Soldier Field, won by Chicago 5-1.
Weather was a factor in the 2011 Winter Classic, which was moved from the afternoon to nighttime for weather reasons. Still, there was rain, and temperatures were in the 50s.
Temperatures in Pittsburgh soared into the 60s and 70s this week, but multiple forecasts called for a big dip in the hours leading up to this night game, with a chance of rain or flurries.
“I just hope the weather is good for it,” said Pittsburgh’s Eric Fehr, the NHL’s leading scorer at Heinz Field after he had two goals while playing for Washington in the 2011 game.
“We don’t want to have to put windshield wipers on the visors when we’re playing out there. Things got a little interesting last time we played.”
Crosby labeled the ice “pretty good” on Friday, when both teams practiced on the rink built over the past several days.
Pittsburgh was part of a big buildup for the 2011 game against the rival Capitals, but the Penguins-Flyers rivalry runs even deeper.
The Penguins (37-14-8) are in a heated race for the Metropolitan Division title, while Philadelphia (28-25-7) is clawing to get back into a wildcard spot in the East.
“I expect both teams to be at their best,” Crosby said. “There’s no doubt the intensity is a little higher when it’s a big stage like that. Every team wants to win a game like that. Maybe the intensity will be a little higher than a typical game, but I’d like to think that any matchup between the two teams, both teams are usually motivated.”
The Flyers have participated in two outdoor games, the 2012 Winter Classic, a 3-2 loss to the Rangers at Citizens Bank Park, and the 2010 Winter Classic, a 2-1 overtime loss to Boston at Fenway Park.
“It’s a cool experience,” Philadelphia’s Brayden Schenn told the Philadelphia Inquirer. “A lot of families are coming to town. We obviously know there are two points on the line, but it’s a whole difference experience, and it’s pretty cool for us as well.”
Cool, and different, but not an exhibition game.
“It’s pretty weird because when you’re on the ice, you don’t really hear the crowd,” Flyers center Claude Giroux told the Bucks County Courier Times. “It’s obviously pretty exciting playing in the Steelers’ stadium.
“At the end of the day, we’re there to get the two points. If it was earlier in the season, we could take in a little bit more. It’s all business now, and for us it’s just finding a way."
The Philadelphia Flyers unveiled today the team's 2017 Coors Light NHL Stadium Series™ jersey for their Saturday, February 25, outdoor matchup against the Pittsburgh Penguins at Heinz Field.
The jersey will be available for purchase at the FanZone Powered by Reebok store at the Wells Fargo Center beginning at 8 a.m. Parking will be free until 10 a.m.
The new jersey stands as a contemporary homage to the unique characteristics of 50 years of the Flyers uniform - a bold design for a passionate city. The primary color of the uniform is black, fiercely showcasing the traditional winged-P on the chest. The single dominant orange bands are a reinterpretation of the singular bands of color on the team's current home and away uniforms. In addition, these bands of color are complemented by a contrast color name-plate, which is a signature design feature of the Flyers' NHL uniform.
The full uniform carries the theme of orange accents over solid black - black socks showcase a single orange stripe across black, gloves include orange highlights, and the black helmet includes numbers mirroring those on the jersey.
The Flyers will wear the special jersey one additional time this season on Wednesday, March 15 as they take on Pittsburgh during NBCSN's Wednesday Night Rivalry at the Wells Fargo Center.
Fans can purchase the NHL Stadium Series™ jersey and other apparel beginning this morning from 8 a.m. to 10 a.m. at the FanZone Powered by Reebok store at the Wells Fargo Center, as well as at all Wells Fargo Center retail stands during today's 1 p.m. home game vs. the Dallas Stars.
In addition, the FanZone Powered by Reebok store at the Wells Fargo Center will offer extended holiday hours. Beginning on Monday, December 12 and running through Wednesday, December 21, the store will be open from 11 a.m. until 5 p.m., daily, with the exception of Sunday, December 18 which will be from 10 a.m. until 3 p.m.
- Philadelphia Flyers
