FOXBORO, Mass. — Playing outside is nothing new for Boston Bruins forward Loui Eriksson.
Like many kids growing up in Sweden, Eriksson sometimes would go outside and play with family and friends. It wasn’t a regular occurrence, but he enjoyed the atmosphere.
“Not many times, but I remember when I was a kid we played some outdoor games,” Eriksson said Thursday after Boston’s NHL Winter Classic practice at Gillette Stadium.
“It was a long time ago. Ponds and lakes. When you’re younger, you play with your brothers, friends and cousins. We went out on the pond and skated. It was an awesome feeling. The (Winter Classic) will be a little different.”
The condition of the ice was a hot topic of conversation after both the Bruins and Montreal Canadiens practiced. The ice wasn’t perfect, but overall the conditions were decent despite the rain and warmer-than-normal temperatures that Foxboro has seen of late.
“It’s going to be a cool experience. It was a beautiful day out there, the sun was shining,” Eriksson said. “It was a little too warm, maybe. The ice in the corners wasn’t the best quality. Other than that, they’ve been doing a good job with the ice.”
Friday’s event will be Eriksson’s first outdoor game as an NHL player. The only healthy players on the Bruins’ roster who played in the 2010 Winter Classic at Fenway Park are defenseman Zdeno Chara and forward Patrice Bergeron. B’s goalie Tuukka Rask dressed but did not play as Tim Thomas’ backup.
Thumbnail photo via Bob DeChiara/USA TODAY Sports Images
