A Day in Hockey Paradise

CHICAGO—Spending New Year’s Eve at Wrigley Field watching a regular-season NHL game was never in my bingo cards. The Chicago Blackhawks and St. Louis Blues faced off in the first rematch of a Winter Classic. This was my first time in Chicago, and it already is one of my favorite sports cities.

The historic venue, Wrigley Field, built in 1914 and home of the three-time World Series champion Chicago Cubs, was the perfect spot for the NHL to host a Winter Classic. It still had the feeling of the old ballpark, but with renovations that transformed it into a hockey paradise. With mini rinks set up for kids before and during intermissions it had everything but snow on a rain swept day.

Wrigley Field front gates. Photo Credit: Dan Kekis.

For the crowd of just over 40,000 it was unbelievable. Many Chicago fans and the dedicated St. Louis Blues fans who made the five-hour drive mentioned going to the game as being a Christmas gift. The result was not what the Blackhawks had hoped for, as star Connor Bedard said after the game, “Those tickets aren’t cheap for them to come and support us.. I feel bad for our fan base coming out to this and we kind of lay an egg.”

Connor Bedard pictured after practice during family skate. Photo Credit: Dan Kekis.

The Blackhawks lost 6-2 in the first-ever rematch of a Winter Classic.The first time the two teams squared off was 2017 at Busch Stadium in St. Louis. The Blackhawks struggles continue in Winter Classics. They’ve appeared in the most of any team in the NHL and have yet to win in five tries.

For the Blues, Cam Fowler, newly acquired from the Anaheim Ducks, was the first player to play his 1,000th game in a Winter Classic. And things couldn’t have gone any better for the Blues. He registered the game’s first goal, finishing with two goals and winning the TNT Cocoa Cup as the MVP of the game.

For the players it seemed like more than a regular-season game. Frank Nazar, a forward on the Blackhawks, played college hockey at the University of Michigan and in 2023 played an outdoor game against Ohio State in formerly known First Energy Stadium, where the NFL’s Cleveland Browns play. After Monday’s practice he said, “It was a great experience knowing what to expect and take tips from there to help with the game.”

Jordan Kyrou of the Blues registered another goal in a Winter Classic and said his success may come from his Canadian roots. “Obviously, you know when you are younger playing on outdoor rinks a lot the ice is brutal out there, so much snow, so, you know, maybe it makes things a little easier out here … cause it brings you back to your roots. So, yeah, it’s awesome.”

View above home plate. Photo Credit: Dan Kekis.

Overall, the experience was incredible as the NHL put on a sweet New Year’s Eve party on and off the ice with performers, Chicago native and three-time Grammy Award winner Chance the Rapper, The Smashing Pumpkins, and at the TNT Barn Burner, John Pardi.

Harry Caray statue. Photo Credit: Dan Kekis.