Next year’s Flyers vs. Penguins outdoor game has a new date. Originally scheduled for Saturday, February 18, the game will now take place on Saturday, February 25 — a move that the NHL says will allow the game to be played in primetime.
The start time for the game will be 8 p.m. ET at Pittsburgh’s Heinz Field, and it will be shown nationally in the United States on NBC. In Canada, the game will be shown on Sportsnet.
In 2011, the Penguins and Capitals played the Winter Classic at the same stadium. Weather forced the game to be moved from an afternoon start to a night start, and as a result it was the highest-rated Winter Classic in league history. The NHL knows what they’re doing here.
The most important thing to note with the new time, of course, is that you’ll now have the entire day to tailgate. So, you know. That should be fun. Be careful though — here’s what happens when Pittsburghers have all day to tailgate:
