The NHL has announced plans to drastically increase the number of games played outdoors next season, and all three New York-area teams will be getting in on the fun.
In the week leading up to Super Bowl XLVIII at MetLife Stadium — the first to be held in a cold-weather climate — Yankee Stadium will host the first outdoor professional hockey game ever in New York City. In fact, it’ll host two.
The New York Rangers and New Jersey Devils will meet first for an early-afternoon tilt on Sunday, Jan. 26. The Rangers will then return to the Bronx three days later to face off against the Islanders on Wednesday, Jan. 29.
“The teams playing in these two games — the Rangers, Islanders and Devils — have tremendously loyal fans and the rivalries are intense because of their proximity and playoff history,” Mathieu Schneider, NHLPA special assistant to the executive director, said in a statement. “Yankee Stadium is a landmark venue in New York City, and to see hockey played in such a celebrated setting will be extremely memorable to the players and everyone involved.”
The games are part of the 2014 Coors Light Stadium Series, which also includes outdoor contests at Dodger Stadium (Ducks-Kings) and Soldier Field (Penguins-Blackhawks). The annual Winter Classic, which is held separate from the series, will feature the Red Wings and Maple Leafs at Michigan Stadium, and the league is also expected to announce a meeting between the Senators and Canucks at BC Place in Vancouver.
