Archives for December 2007

'"I think people are comfortable with the idea that if there is a big event on NBC, that I might be the one to come on and set the stage. And it implicitly says that NBC considers this to be something of significance, that it's not your everyday hockey game. And it isn't. They didn't have to twist my arm. I think it's cool."' … [Read more...] about Costas and crew eager to air U.S. outdoor game

'Pennsylvanians accounted for 19 percent of StubHub's sales for the game, Ms. Ferrerr said, second only to New York at 56 percent. "That's a pretty high number for visiting team sales," she said.' … [Read more...] about It's outdoors, it's in Buffalo, it's the hottest ticket around

NHL tinkers with Winter Classic format (Pittsburgh Post Gazette) Penguins win, but lose Roberts with broken leg (Pittsburgh Tribune Review) Pens' Shero not panicking despite injuries (Pittsburgh Tribune Review) Penguins' Gary Roberts breaks left leg, out indefinitely (AP) Photo gallery (PittsburghPenguins.com) … [Read more...] about Sunday’s Pittsburgh Coverage

'Buffalo played its sixth game in 11 days, a difficult stretch leading up to the much-hyped Ralph Wilson Stadium game that will be played before an NHL-record crowd of 74,000-plus, and it showed. Right now, the Sabres need to win a game, indoors or outdoors.' … [Read more...] about Pittsburgh 2, Buffalo 0

'"You have to give the Penguins credit, when they got the lead," said Buffalo coach Lindy Ruff. "They didn't make the mistakes to give up the odd man rushes that would put them in a tough situation."' … [Read more...] about Pittsburgh 2, Buffalo 0

'After no scoring in the first period, the Penguins took the 1-0 lead just 12 seconds into the second as Sidney Crosby set up Colby Armstrong in front of the net to tip the puck past Ryan Miller.' … [Read more...] about Conklin Shuts Out Sabres 2-0

'Miller, who allowed just one goal in each of his last two games without a win to show for it, stopped 23 out of 24 Pittsburgh shots.' … [Read more...] about Ty'd down

Monsters grab lead and keep it (Cleveland Plain Dealer) Amerks whitewashed by Monsters, 3-0 (Amerks.com) Weiman and Monsters Shutout Rochester (LakeErieMonsters.com) … [Read more...] about Sunday’s Rochester Coverage

'"Ty said he wore a deep-sea diver's suit under his equipment to stay warm because he was standing all the time," said forward Colby Armstrong, who grew up playing pond hockey in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan. "I don't know if it will get that cold, but it will be weird to see."' … [Read more...] about Penguins already gearing up in practice for great outdoors

'"We played outdoors all the time when I was a kid. It was fun," said Buffalo's Maxim Afinogenov, who grew up in Russia. "We didn't even know what it was like to play indoors. When you were growing up in Moscow, you always played outdoors."' … [Read more...] about NHL challenges bowls with throwback game

'The Buffalo Sabres and the Pittsburgh Penguins will switch ends halfway through the third period of the NHL Winter Classic on New Year's Day to ensure that each team spends an equal number of minutes attacking or defending each goal so any advantages or adversities created by weather conditions at Ralph Wilson Stadium will be nullified.' … [Read more...] about Teams will switch ends during halfway through third period of Winter Classic

'“What we have today is a low of 20 or so, and a high of about 32 -- a little bit of rain, a little overcast,” Renzulli, the N.H.L.’s senior vice president for events and entertainment, said Thursday. “And that’s the forecast right through the game as of today. As long as it stays like this, it’s not a problem at all.”' … [Read more...] about Warming Up for a Chilly Day

'In Edmonton, the players benches were heated, which provided relief from the cold but created a problem. "It was so hot on our bench, you couldn't acclimatize," said Smyth. "You'd go from really cold to really hot."' … [Read more...] about Ex-Oiler Smyth says unpredictable ice biggest adjustment in outdoor hockey

'“I kept my options open but the team had other things like Chris [Drury] and Danny [Briere] to deal with so I understood,” Zubrus said before Friday’s game between the teams in Prudential Center. “I kind of knew those are things that had to be solved first before I got a phone call and I never really did get one.”' … [Read more...] about Ex-Sabre Zubrus happy to be a Devil

Scouting the Sabres (Pittsburgh Tribune Review) Buffalo (19-15-2) at Pittsburgh (19-16-2) (AP) Buffalo Sabres (19-15-2) at Pittsburgh Penguins (19-16-2) (The Sports Network) … [Read more...] about Saturday’s Pittsburgh Coverage