CBP to host NHL’s Winter Classic

The Flyers' Claude Giroux battles in the corner for a loose puck with Boston's Matt Hunwick in the 2009 Winter Classic at Fenway Park. Also pictured is Flyers defenseman Kimmo Timonen. (Jim McIsaac/Getty Images)

The National Hockey League is bringing the Winter Classic to Philadelphia.

Playing in their second Winter Classic in three years, the Philadelphia Flyers will host the New York Rangers on January 2, 2012 at Citizens Bank Park according to league officials.

With the National Football League schedule showing games on January 1, the annual date of the Winter Classic, the NHL has decided to move it back one day in order to not compete with the NFL.

And with the Philadelphia Eagles hosting the Washington Redskins that week, Lincoln Financial Field was unavailable.

The NHL wanted Philadelphia, a sports town like no other. NBC also wanted New York, their target market. That’s what brought the game to CBP.

The first winter classic has gone back and forth between football and baseball stadiums. In it’s first year, the Buffalo Sabres hosted the Pittsburgh Penguins at Ralph Wilson Stadium. The following two years were in Chicago’s Wrigley Field and Boston’s Fenway Park, where the Flyers were hosted by the Boston Bruins. Last season, the game was played at Heinz Field in Pittsburgh.

The official announcement will be made later this month.

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