Thu, Jan 02, 2025 page6

• Blues steal Chicago’s glory in Winter Classic

  • AP, CHICAGO
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  St Louis coach Jim Montgomery walked around before Tuesday night’s Winter Classic, looked at the growing crowd soaking in the festive atmosphere and thought about all the famous ballplayers who played at Wrigley Field.

  “And here we are getting to play an NHL hockey game,” Montgomery said. “It’s just really cool.”

  The Winter Classic returned to Wrigley on the final day of 2024, and the Chicago Blackhawks threw quite a party. Fireworks streaked through the night sky at the home of baseball’s Chicago Cubs. The Smashing Pumpkins and Chance the Rapper performed, and actors Bill Murray and Jon Hamm got a big ovation when they were shown on a videoboard during the third period.

  

  The Chicago Blackhawks’ Nick Foligno, right, fights the St Louis Blues’ Brayden Schenn during the NHL Winter Classic at Wrigley Field in Chicago on Tuesday.

  Photo: AP

  It was a very Chicago party, but St Louis had all the fun, as the Blues rolled to a 6-2 victory over the Blackhawks in front of a crowd of 40,933, improving to 3-0 in the Winter Classic.

  “This was an amazing experience for the fans and just for us, too,” St Louis captain Brayden Schenn said. “Having family and friends here to experience something like that at Wrigley Field, an amazing thing, and then winning on top of it.”

  Just a couple weeks after he was acquired by St Louis in a trade with Anaheim, Cam Fowler celebrated his 1,000th NHL game with two goals. The 33-year-old defenseman became the first player in NHL history to skate outdoors for his 1,000th game.

  

  Fireworks fly over Wrigley Field as the Chicago Blackhawks and the St Louis Blues take the ice while the Smashing Pumpkins perform prior to the NHL Winter Classic in Chicago on Tuesday.

  Photo: AFP

  The night — the confluence of events that put Fowler in that moment after spending his entire career with the Ducks — was “pretty surreal,” he said.

  “Going through a lot of emotions the last few weeks getting adjusted to a new team,” he said. “But couldn’t have asked for anything more for this experience... It was an awesome night for all of us.”

  Not so much for the lowly Blackhawks. It was a much different scene in the home clubhouse, where Chicago was searching for answers after their fifth consecutive loss.

  

  The St Louis Blues’ Alexey Toropchenko, center, collides with the Chicago Blackhawks’ Petr Mrazek during the NHL Winter Classic at Wrigley Field in Chicago on Tuesday.

  Photo: AFP

  Backed by the majority of a raucous crowd, the Blackhawks got off to a slow start and the Blues pulled away with three goals in the second period.

  “You know, those tickets aren’t cheap for them to come and support us,” Chicago forward Connor Bedard said. “We, obviously, in our room are disappointed with ourselves, but I feel bad for our fan base coming out to this and we kind of lay an egg.”

  Also on Tuesday, the Washington Capitals beat the Boston Bruins 3-1, the Toronto Maple Leafs upset the New York Islanders 3-1, the Montreal Canadiens survived the Las Vegas Golden Knights 3-2, the Dallas Stars topped the Buffalo Sabres 4-2 and the Minnesota Wild outplayed the Nashville Predators 5-3.

  The Columbus Blue Jackets edged the Carolina Hurricanes 4-3 in a shoot-out, the Colorado Avalanche crushed the Winnipeg Jets 5-2, the Detroit Red Wings overpowered the Pittsburgh Penguins 4-2, the Edmonton Oilers defeated Utah Hockey Club 4-1, the Anaheim Ducks pipped the New Jersey Devils 3-2, the Calgary Flames burned the Vancouver Canucks 3-1 and the Philadelphia Flyers blanked the San Jose Sharks 4-0.

  Additional reporting by staff writer
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