# 2023 NHL Winter Classic

The 2023 NHL Winter Classic was an outdoor ice hockey game played in the National Hockey League (NHL) on January 2, 2023, at Fenway Park in Boston. The 14th edition of the Winter Classic, it matched the Boston Bruins against the Pittsburgh Penguins; the Bruins won 2–1.

## Background

On February 4, 2022, the NHL announced that the 2023 NHL Winter Classic would take place at Fenway Park, hosted by the Boston Bruins. Fenway Park became the first venue to host two Winter Classics, having previously hosted the 2010 NHL Winter Classic.
ESPN reported in February 2022 that the Pittsburgh Penguins would likely be the opponent after Fenway Sports Group, owner of Fenway Park, took over majority control of the Penguins in December 2021. The league confirmed that it would be the Penguins on April 13.
The NHL moved the Winter Classic to Monday, January 2, as it had in 2012 and 2017, declining to hold the event on a Sunday. In addition, the game returned to its customary afternoon start time (2 p.m. EST).

## Game summary

Scoring summary :
| Period | Team | Goal | Assist(s) | Time | Score |
| 1st | No scoring | No scoring | No scoring | No scoring | No scoring |
| 2nd | PIT | Kasperi Kapanen (6) | Danton Heinen (8), Jeff Carter (12) | 8:40 | 1–0 PIT |
| 3rd | BOS | Jake DeBrusk (15) | Brad Marchand (21), Matt Grzelcyk (9) | 7:46 | 1–1 |
| 3rd | BOS | Jake DeBrusk (16) | Taylor Hall (15), David Krejci (18) | 17:36 | 1–2 BOS |
    Number in parentheses represents the player's total in goals or assists to that point of the season
Penalty summary :
| Period | Team | Player | Penalty | Time | PIM |
| 1st | PIT | Teddy Blueger | Boarding | 17:33 | 2:00 |
| 2nd | PIT | Pierre-Olivier Joseph | Interference | 2:24 | 2:00 |
| 2nd | BOS | David Pastrnak | Holding | 2:24 | 2:00 |
| 2nd | BOS | Hampus Lindholm | High-sticking | 4:38 | 2:00 |
| 3rd | BOS | Matt Grzelcyk | Tripping | 1:11 | 2:00 |
| 3rd | PIT | Brian Dumoulin | Tripping | 5:40 | 2:00 |
Shots by period :
| Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | Total |
| PIT | 14 | 6 | 7 | 27 |
| BOS | 10 | 9 | 10 | 29 |
Power play opportunities :
| Team | Goals/Opportunities |
| Pittsburgh | 0/3 |
| Boston | 0/3 |
Three star selections :
| | Team | Player | Statistics |
| 1st | BOS | Jake DeBrusk | 2 goals |
| 2nd | PIT | Kasperi Kapanen | 1 goal |
| 3rd | BOS | Linus Ullmark | 26 saves |

## Team rosters

Pittsburgh Penguins :
| # | Player | Position |
| 1 | Casey DeSmith | G |
| 2 | Chad Ruhwedel | D |
| 8 | Brian Dumoulin (A) | D |
| 16 | Jason Zucker | LW |
| 17 | Bryan Rust | RW |
| 23 | Brock McGinn | LW |
| 24 | Ty Smith | D |
| 28 | Marcus Pettersson | D |
| 35 | Tristan Jarry | G |
| 42 | Kasperi Kapanen | RW |
| 43 | Danton Heinen | LW/RW |
| 44 | Jan Rutta | D |
| 52 | Mark Friedman | D |
| 53 | Teddy Blueger | C |
| 59 | Jake Guentzel | LW |
| 67 | Rickard Rakell | LW/RW |
| 71 | Evgeni Malkin (A) | C |
| 73 | Pierre-Olivier Joseph | D |
| 77 | Jeff Carter | C/RW |
| 87 | Sidney Crosby (C) | C |
| Head coach: Mike Sullivan ||||
Boston Bruins :
| # | Player | Position |
| 1 | Jeremy Swayman | G |
| 11 | Trent Frederic | C |
| 12 | Craig Smith | RW |
| 13 | Charlie Coyle | C |
| 17 | Nick Foligno | LW |
| 18 | Pavel Zacha | C |
| 25 | Brandon Carlo | D |
| 27 | Hampus Lindholm | D |
| 28 | Derek Forbort | D |
| 35 | Linus Ullmark | G |
| 37 | Patrice Bergeron (C) | C |
| 46 | David Krejci (A) | C |
| 48 | Matt Grzelcyk | D |
| 63 | Brad Marchand (A) | LW |
| 71 | Taylor Hall | LW |
| 73 | Charlie McAvoy | D |
| 74 | Jake DeBrusk | LW |
| 75 | Connor Clifton | D |
| 88 | David Pastrnak | RW |
| 92 | Tomas Nosek | C |
| Head coach: Jim Montgomery ||||

## Entertainment

Bell Biv DeVoe, accompanied by the Boston Pops Orchestra, performed the national anthem while the Black Keys performed during the first intermission. Following the anthem, a ceremonial "puck pitch" was done by Red Sox alumni players Jason Varitek and Tim Wakefield along with Boston Bruins alumni Johnny Bucyk, Zdeno Chara, and Bobby Orr. The Boston Pops also served as the house band during the game. Country music artist Sam Hunt performed during pregame.

## Broadcasting

The game was broadcast by TNT in the U.S. and Sportsnet in Canada. Warner Bros. Discovery Sports reported that the game was the most-watched regular season hockey game of all-time on cable in the United States, averaging 1.8 million viewers throughout the broadcast and peaking at 2.1 million viewers toward the end of the game.