It’s almost like it came out of a book the way Boston Bruins forward Nick Foligno described it.
There’s just something romantic about hockey being played on a frozen pond, as Foligno recalled his favorite moment playing outdoors ahead of the Bruins hosting the Pittsburgh Penguins at Fenway Park next Monday in the 2023 Winter Classic.
“My grandparents had a rink right across from their house,” Foligno said, per-team provided video. “I remember coming up for Christmas one year. We were living in Buffalo at the time, but we came up to Canada for Christmas. I got to skate out there, and I remember being out there by myself at one point. And I’ll never forget, it was like a light snowfall. I think that’s just where I was like, ‘Wow, hockey’s incredible.'”
Bruins star winger Brad Marchand looks fondly back on playing hockey in the elements as a kid as well, giving him memories that have stayed with the 34-year-old.
“We would skate for a bit and then we would have our sleds there and we’d toboggan down the hill and then walk back up and skate again,” Marchand said, per team-provided video. “We’d just kind of do that all day.”
While the players on the Bruins have moved on to playing on bigger rinks in cavernous arenas, they have received a taste of playing outdoors as professionals.
The matchup against the Penguins will be Boston’s fourth Winter Classic appearance since 2010 with the Bruins having played on makeshift rinks at Fenway Park, Gillette Stadium and Notre Dame Stadium.
But for Bruins captain Patrice Bergeron, his favorite outdoor moment might not come from those marquee events, but from getting to play at Lake Tahoe in 2021 as part of the NHL’s Outdoors series.
“It could be Lake Tahoe,” Bergeron said, per team-provided video. “It was special with no fans and just being by the lake.”
Bergeron seemed to be on to something as both David Pastrnak and Connor Clifton agreed that taking on the Philadelphia Flyers at Lake Tahoe was an experience like no other.
Regardless of the memory, though, there’s just something special about lacing up the skates and playing on a patch of ice with the cold wind rushing around.
“That’s the best thing in the world,” Charlie Coyle said, per team-provided video.
