NHL Winter Classic A Hit

PITTSBURGH 2, BUFFALO 1 (SO) ----------------------------
ORCHARD PARK, New York (Ticker) -- The Winter Classic was an appropriate name for the NHL's first outdoor game in the United States. Braving snow, sleet, wind and a bevy of delays, the Pittsburgh Penguins defeated the Buffalo Sabres, 2-1, in a shootout. Sidney Crosby scored the deciding goal in the shootout for the Penguins, who won before a record crowd of 71,217 at Ralph Wilson Stadium, home to the NFL's Buffalo Bills.

The game started with snow falling and a temperature of 33 degrees, and players sat on heated benches wearing ski hoods beneath their helmets that covered their ears and heads. Sabres goaltender Ryan Miller also tried his best to stay warm, as he sported a ski cap over the top of his mask. With the weather wreaking havoc, both teams had to deal with numerous stoppages to make the chippy ice playable. Maintenance crews scooped snow off the ice and into plastic buckets on numerous occasions. The game was played on a rink built in the middle of the stadium, complete with boards and protective glass and surrounded by ice and snow. In the stands, many in the crowd sat bundled in parkas, fleeces and snowsuits.

Once the game started, the Penguins did their best to dampen the crowd's enthusiasm as they jumped on top just 21 seconds into the contest. Crosby drove to the Buffalo net and put a quick shot on net. Colby Armstrong gathered the rebound in the slot and put a shot past Miller for his sixth goal. Penguins goaltender Ty Conklin, perhaps used to the circus-like atmosphere, made nine saves in the opening period to keep the Sabres off the board. Conklin started in goal for the Edmonton Oilers, who faced the Montreal Canadiens in the league's first outdoor game on November 22, 2003 at Commonwealth Stadium in Edmonton. That contest drew a then-record crowd of 57,167 and featured a temperature of around zero and wind chill that reached 15 below.

Conklin was the busier of the two netminder's, as the Penguins managed just two shots during a woeful second period in which snow turned to sleet. Just 85 seconds into the middle session, the Sabres tied the game at 1-1 when Brian Campbell snapped a shot past Conklin from the right faceoff circle for his fourth goal. Conklin finished with 36 saves. The third period and overtime also featured unique aspects. Each session was split in half to give each team equal time on both sides of the rink. When play resumed after the 10-minute mark, snow started falling as hard as it did all day.