CBC’S HOCKEY NIGHT IN CANADA ENDS 2011 AND KICKS OFF 2012 WITH A WINTER CLASSIC WEEKEND TO REMEMBER
An action packed weekend of NHL hockey concludes with the New York Rangers taking on the Philadelphia Flyers at Citizens Bank Park on Monday, January 2
CBC News Release
CBC’S HOCKEY NIGHT IN CANADA braves Philadelphia’s Citizens Bank Park to bring Canadians all the action from the 5th annual Bridgestone NHL Winter Classic on Monday, January 2. This year’s match up features two of the Eastern Conference’s best with the Philadelphia Flyers hosting the New York Rangers. It all starts with a special installment of Scotiabank Hockey Tonight at 12:30 p.m. ET.
“The Bridgestone NHL Winter Classic has become one of the marquee sporting events in North America,” said Julie Bristow, CBC’s executive director of studio and unscripted programming. “CBC is once again proud to be the Canadian broadcast partner of what is fast becoming a New Year’s tradition.”
Ron MacLean will host the highly anticipated showdown alongside Don Cherry. Play-by-play man Jim Hughson and analyst Craig Simpson will try to stay warm in the outdoor broadcast booth, while Glenn Healy and Elliotte Friedman provide commentary and reports from ice level and around the stadium.
For the first time in the history of the Bridgestone NHL Winter Classic, Canadians will be able to watch NHL legends from the Flyers and Rangers as they face off in the Molson Canadian NHL Winter Classic Alumni Game. The Philadelphia lineup includes Bob Clarke, Eric Lindros, John LeClair, Mark Howe, Jeremy Roenick, and Reggie Leach with Pat Quinn taking the coaching reins. Mike Keenan takes his place behind the New York bench with a team featuring Mark Messier, Brian Leetch, Adam Graves, Ron Duguay, Dave Maloney, and Mike Gartner. Live coverage will begin at 1:00 p.m. ET on December 31st with CSN’s Jim Jackson handling play-by-play along with analysis from CBC’S HOCKEY NIGHT IN CANADA’s Kevin Weekes.
Following the Molson Canadian NHL Winter Classic Alumni Game, fans can ring in the New Year with the final broadcast of 2011 for CBC’S HOCKEY NIGHT IN CANADA. Things get underway with Scotiabank Hockey Tonight at 6:30 p.m. ET followed by the Winnipeg Jets hosting the Toronto Maple Leafs, the Ottawa Senators facing off against the Buffalo Sabres and the Montreal Canadiens visiting the Florida Panthers. At 10:00 p.m. ET, the focus shifts to the west coast when the Vancouver Canucks travel to California to take on the Los Angeles Kings.