Notre Dame To Host 2019 Winter Classic Hockey Game
SOUTH BEND – The 2019 Bridgestone NHL Winter Classic will feature the Chicago Blackhawks and Boston Bruins outdoors on Jan. 1, 2019 at Notre Dame Stadium, home of the University of Notre Dame Fighting Irish.
The New Year’s Day matchup will be Chicago’s fourth NHL Winter Classic appearance and Boston’s third. The Chicago Blackhawks previous appearances in the NHL Winter Classic include the 2009 NHL Winter Classic against the Detroit Red Wings at Wrigley Field (6-4 loss); a road trip to play the Washington Capitals in 2015 at Nationals Park (3-2 loss); and a matchup against the St. Louis Blues in 2017 at Busch Stadium (4-1 loss). The Boston Bruins were the home club in their two NHL Winter Classic games; a 2-1 overtime win against the Philadelphia Flyers at Fenway Park in 2010 and a 5-1 loss to the Montreal Canadiens in 2016 at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough.
“The Blackhawks and Bruins, two of our most historic franchises, will be meeting outdoors for the first time at the 2019 Bridgestone NHL Winter Classic,” NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman said. “Notre Dame Stadium, with its capacity approaching 80,000, will provide an ideal setting for this ground-breaking event and will host the largest live audience ever to witness a game by either of these teams.”
The 2019 Bridgestone NHL Winter Classic® will be broadcast live on NBC, Sportsnet and TVA Sports. Additional details including game time, ticket information and other events surrounding the game will be announced in the coming months and available at NHL.com/WinterClassic2019. NHL Social™ will have exclusive coverage on all social platforms using the hashtag NHL #WinterClassic.
“The Chicago Blackhawks are honored to be participating in this marquee event at an iconic venue like Notre Dame Stadium,” said John McDonough, President & CEO of the Chicago Blackhawks. “The University of Notre Dame has strong alumni roots in both Chicago and Boston, and, with an established rivalry between the Blackhawks and Bruins, fans will be treated to an exciting game in a unique atmosphere. We appreciate the invitation to the game and look forward to what will be a great day for both franchises and the National Hockey League.”
“The Boston Bruins are excited to be playing in the 2019 Bridgestone NHL Winter Classic against another storied Original Six franchise, the Chicago Blackhawks,” said Bruins President Cam Neely. “The rich history of Notre Dame Stadium is well documented, and our team looks forward to playing at such an iconic venue. We hope that by participating in these large scale and unique NHL events we can bring Bruins fans new hockey experiences, and that we can use these opportunities to help grow our great game and attract new fans.”
Bruins rookie Anders Bjork was a 2017 All-American at Notre Dame.
“Notre Dame Stadium is truly one of the iconic sports venues in North America, and will provide a unique and exciting backdrop for the Blackhawks and Bruins players, as well as the tens of thousands of fans,” said Don Fehr, NHLPA Executive Director. “We look forward to a great Bridgestone NHL Winter Classic on New Year’s Day in 2019.”
Both the Blackhawks and the Bruins have ties to the University of Notre Dame. Current Chicago Blackhawks general manager Stan Bowman graduated from the University in 1995 and the team has held a portion of their training camp at the school’s Compton Family Ice Arena four times over the past five years (2013-14, 2014-15, 2015-16, 2017-18), while former Boston Bruins forward Dave Poulin played for the Irish from 1978-82 and spent 10 years as head hockey coach at Notre Dame.
“We are very excited to welcome the Chicago Blackhawks, Boston Bruins and NHL to Notre Dame Stadium for the 2019 Bridgestone NHL Winter Classic,” said University of Notre Dame Vice President and James E. Rohr Director of Athletics Jack Swarbrick. “I believe it’s only fitting that two of the NHL’s legendary Original Six teams will take the ice for the first hockey game in one of America’s most iconic athletic facilities. Hosting two franchises with so many connections to Notre Dame also provides a unique opportunity to celebrate our hockey legacy.”
This year’s game will mark the second time the NHL Winter Classic is being held at a college football stadium, with the iconic New Year’s Day game previously held at Michigan Stadium in Ann Arbor (2014).