We’ve had the Winter Classic, and now, in a matter of hours, it will be the turn of the Stadium Series to be hosted at the TCF Bank Stadium in Minneapolis, Minnesota. In this game, the Minnesota Wild will host their Central Division rivals, the Chicago Blackhawks.
Just A Big Hype
With the amount of media attention the outdoor games get, there is usually a lot of pressure on the teams taking part. However, both teams need to take this as ‘just another league game’. The hype surrounding the whole spectacle will, of course, be on every player’s mind. There will be a stadium packed out with thousands upon thousands of fans. There will be unbelievable noise. Fortunately, the forecast is for good weather. It will be an unforgettable game for all.
Stadium Series Debuts
Taking a closer look at the Blackhawks team, there are several players that have never played in a Stadium Series game. For
defenceman Trevor van Riemsdyk, this will mark his debut in the outdoor series. “You can’t take these moments for granted” he said. “You don’t know how many other times you’ll get to do this, play outside in front of a big crowd.” Another rookie to this game, Artemi Panarin will also be looking forward to his first outdoor game. Fresh from a hat-trick performance against the New York Rangers, Panarin is right on form to show the huge crowd just what he can do.
Earlier this week, the Blackhawks, along with the Stanley Cup, visited the White House in which President Barack Obama honoured the team and their achievements.
In a week that has seen an awful lot of memorable moments for the 2015-16 Blackhawks team, they now have to look forward to this afternoon’s epic game. However, they also must remember that this is still a league game and that they need that winning the points to help them get in the best possible position ready for the upcoming playoffs.
The next Stadium Series game will be next weekend that will se the Colorado Avalanche take on the Detroit Red Wings at Coors Field in Denver.