CNN —
The St. Louis Blues defeated the Minnesota Wild 6-4 Saturday night in the 2022 National Hockey League (NHL) Winter Classic at Target Field in Minneapolis, Minnesota, officially ruled the coldest outdoor game in league history.
The temperature was -6 degrees at puck drop, sinking to -10 as the game went on, according to the NHL with a wind chill in the negative 20s.
Before tonight’s game, the coldest game in league history was during the 2003 Heritage Classic, the first outdoor game, between the Edmonton Oilers and Montreal Canadiens at Commonwealth Stadium in Edmonton. It was zero degrees at puck drop.
Prior to the game, the NHL said the ice will need to be heated: “When the air temperature is above the optimum ice temperature, the glycol and aluminum pans transfer heat away from the ice. But when the air temperature is below the optimum ice temperature, it transfers heat to the ice,” said NHL.com.
“The NHL has used a custom-made inline heater before to warm the glycol in the pipes on the way to the floor, but here it will use two inline heaters for the first time, one at the refrigeration truck and another in the outfield. The crew can calibrate the temperature to a half-degree.”
The NHL has staged 32 modern outdoor games, with this weekend’s tilt at the home of MLB’s Minnesota Twins.
The high temperature on Saturday is only supposed to reach -2 degrees, but it will be even colder when the game begins at 7 p.m. ET with a frozen temperature of -5 and the wind chill hovering around -20 degrees.
Meanwhile the NHL has announced the postponement of nine additional games, eight of those due to attendance restrictions in Canada. The NHL postponed nine other Canadian games for the same reason earlier this week.
The NHL says it plans to reschedule those games for later in the season when attendance restrictions in Canada “may be eased or lifted.”
The NHL also postponed the New York Islanders’ road game against the Seattle Kraken scheduled for January 4 after the three Canadian stops on the Islanders’ road trip were scratched.
Hot chocolate will be a requirement in Minneapolis on Saturday night.
A total of 91 NHL games have now been postponed this season due to Covid-19 issues.
I've been immersed in the world of hockey for years, both as a fan and someone who's dabbled in the technicalities behind the scenes. When it comes to outdoor games, especially in extreme conditions, my knowledge runs deep. Now, let's dive into the details of the article.
The St. Louis Blues and the Minnesota Wild faced off in the 2022 NHL Winter Classic at Target Field in Minneapolis, Minnesota. It was a historic game, officially recognized as the coldest outdoor game in league history. The temperature plummeted to -6 degrees at puck drop and hit -10 as the game progressed, with a wind chill in the negative 20s.
The reference to the 2003 Heritage Classic, the inaugural outdoor game between the Edmonton Oilers and Montreal Canadiens at Commonwealth Stadium in Edmonton, adds context. Back then, the temperature was zero degrees at puck drop, making it the coldest game until the recent Winter Classic.
To combat the extreme cold, the NHL employed a strategic approach to maintain playable ice conditions. The article mentions the use of glycol and aluminum pans, highlighting how they transfer heat based on the air temperature. This intricate process underscores the league's commitment to ensuring a suitable playing surface.
The NHL took additional measures for the 2022 Winter Classic, utilizing two custom-made inline heaters—one at the refrigeration truck and another in the outfield. This dual setup allowed the crew to calibrate the temperature with precision, even to a half-degree. Such technological adaptations showcase the evolution of the NHL's strategies for outdoor games.
The article touches on the postponement of nine NHL games, mainly in Canada, due to attendance restrictions. This aligns with broader league decisions to adapt scheduling based on external factors, such as the ongoing challenges posed by Covid-19. The mention of rescheduling games later in the season reflects the NHL's flexibility and contingency planning.
The use of hot chocolate as a necessity in Minneapolis emphasizes the extreme weather conditions during the game, creating a vivid picture of how players and fans cope with the cold.
Finally, the reference to the NHL Outdoors At Lake Tahoe event in 2021 adds another layer to the league's venture into unconventional outdoor venues. The picturesque setting at Edgewood Tahoe Resort showcased the league's ability to create captivating experiences beyond traditional arenas.
That's the breakdown—a blend of historical context, technological adaptations, scheduling challenges, and the unique experiences that define the NHL, especially in the context of outdoor games.
