The third time was the charm for NHL'S latest outdoor game

Jan 2, 2009 - 4:26 AM By Rory Spears PA SportsTicker Contributing Writer

CHICAGO (TICKER) -- The National Hockey League hosted its third outdoor game and the third time was the charm for hockey's hottest regular-season event.

The Detroit Red Wings defeated the Chicago Blackhawks by a score of 6-4, spoiling the New Year's party thrown by the host Blackhawks and the city of Chicago.

By playing the game at Wrigley Field, the legendary home of the Chicago Cubs' baseball team, it was the first time the NHL tried an outdoor game at a baseball park instead of a football stadium. As a result, the league's third regular-season outdoor game might have been the best one yet.

"There are two reasons that stand out why we had a better game," NHL commissioner Gary Bettman said of the latest Winter Classic. "First off the weather, it wasn't as cold as it was in Edmonton. Then we didn't have the snow we had in Buffalo last year."

Bettman then gave credit to the quality of the ice surface.

"The ice was really good and better than it is in some of our rinks," Bettman said. "That was because we have equipment now like a refrigeration truck, that coupled with having more time to make the surface by playing in a baseball park instead of a football stadium played into it too."

The game marked the third outdoor game for Detroit goaltender Ty Conklin, who is the only NHL player to compete in all three contests.

"I count myself pretty lucky to having played in all three of these games," Conklin said. "There is not a guy in the league who doesn't want to play in these games and I have had a great time in all three."

Detroit's Juri Hudler was happy that his team got two points for the win, mostly because of his three-point game, scoring two goals and an assist.

"We were down 3-1 after the first period but fortunately the game is three periods and we didn't panic," Hudler said. "I was able to get some lucky bounces and we worked hard to come back and win."

Chicago's Martin Havlat had a three-point game as well but was still down about losing the second Winter Classic.

"It was a good experience but it would have been nice to win," Havlat said. "I am not thinking about my points but it was nice to contribute to the team."

Chicago's Kris Versteeg scored the game's first goal just three minutes into the first period off of Conklin.

"It felt really good at the time," Versteeg said. "I never thought about the scoring the first ever goal at Wrigley (Field), but it was still a special experience to be part of this game."

Detroit's Henrik Zetterberg needed three assists coming into the game for 200 career assists, and he got the milestone on his team's final score.

With the victory, Detroit continued its success against its fellow "Original Six" team, improving to 4-0-0 against Chicago this season, opening up an eight-point division lead on the second-place Blackhawks.

In the second game of a home-and-home series between the two clubs, the Red Wings snapped the Blackhawks' franchise-record nine-game winning streak with a 4-0 victory at Joe Louis Arena on Tuesday.