WASHINGTON – It didn’t have snow or 100,000 people, but the 2015 Winter Classic should be remembered as a showcase of top-of-the-line hockey.
Ice conditions at Nationals Park were arguably better than many NHL rinks, and the Washington Capitals and Chicago Blackhawks played a track meet of a game. Troy Brouwer scored on the power play with 12.9 seconds left to give the Capitals a 3-2 victory.
In the minutes that followed, many of the 42,832 fans in attendance threw their seat cushions in celebration of an odd goal.
The Capitals became just the second home team to win a Winter Classic. Eric Fehr and Alex Ovechkin also scored for Washington.
Patrick Sharp and Brandon Saad had Chicago’s goals. Braden Holtby made 33 saves, while Corey Crawford stopped 32 of the 35 shots he faced.
The afternoon began with pageantry as the NHL took full advantage of being in the U.S. capital. Players took golf carts around the stadium to centre-field where they entered around a replica of the Capitol Building.
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