2009 NHL Winter Classic
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| Date | January 1, 2009 | |||||||||||||||
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| Arena | Wrigley Field | |||||||||||||||
| City | Chicago, Illinois | |||||||||||||||
| Attendance | 40,818 | |||||||||||||||
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The 2009 NHL Winter Classic (known via corporate sponsorship as the Bridgestone NHL Winter Classic 2009) was an outdoor regular season National Hockey League (NHL) game played on January 1, 2009, at Wrigley Field in Chicago, Illinois. The game pitted the Chicago Blackhawks, who normally play their home games indoors at United Center, against the defending Stanley Cup champion Detroit Red Wings in the 701st game between these rivals in the NHL's Central Division. The Red Wings won the game, 6–4, despite falling behind 3–1 in the first period. This was the first Winter Classic to involve at least one of the Original Six teams, and the first to feature teams from the Western Conference.
The two teams wore vintage-style uniforms, using the current Reebok Edge equipment and material. The Red Wings wore a version of the sweaters worn by the Detroit Cougars in 1926–27, their first season in the NHL, but with their familiar "Winged Wheel" logo on the shoulders. The Blackhawks wore sweaters which were a mix of their 1936–37 sweaters and their 1937–38 sweaters, with the design from 1936–37 and the chest crest from 1937–38.
On May 29, 2008, TSN reported that Chicago was chosen to host the annual outdoor game over New York City, the other host finalist for the game. A game in New York City would have been played at the original Yankee Stadium, which closed after hosting the New York Yankees from 1923 to 2008. Logistical concerns, however, forced New York out because the stadium was to be demolished; if the game had been played at Yankee Stadium, it would have been the last event in that building.
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