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Soak in 2018 Winter Classic, no sweater needed

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Jimmy Vesey calls his participation in the Winter Classic a "great experience" and says the two points New York earned in the win is even more important.

So, the bad news is that (most of?) us didn’t get to attend the 2018 Winter Classic at Citi Field. The good news is that those of us who didn’t get to go also didn’t have to be really cold.

Luckily, photographers and fans were around to record the fun times, so we can at least get an idea of what it was like. Without the teeth chattering. Enjoy.

Unusual conditions

The cold weather’s coming next.

Playing outdoors means dealing with other factors that NFL players usually only deal with: the wind and shadows (or blinding light) can suddenly be an issue, especially for goalies. Henrik Lundqvist and Robin Lehner deserve kudos for fighting through it.

2018 Bridgestone NHL Winter Classic - New York Rangers v Buffalo Sabres

by Abbie Parr/Getty Images

Getty Images

2018 Bridgestone NHL Winter Classic - New York Rangers v Buffalo Sabres

by Bruce Bennett/Getty Images

Getty Images

BREAKING: It was cold

This wasn’t the coldest Winter Classic, let alone the coldest outdoor NHL game, but such facts didn’t exactly warm up those who were still very, very cold. But, hey, bundling up makes for some cool shots, if nothing else.

Fans provided some great images:

2018 Bridgestone NHL Winter Classic - New York Rangers v Buffalo Sabres

by Abbie Parr/Getty Images

Getty Images

2018 Bridgestone NHL Winter Classic - New York Rangers v Buffalo Sabres

by Abbie Parr/Getty Images

Getty Images

While the players wore some extra gear, at least during warm-ups, and that provided some extra fun:

Not that fun: your mullet/hockey hair getting icey.

A good time

It’s been 10 years since the first Winter Classic, but it doesn’t sound like the novelty is wearing off for players. (Granted, as you see in the video above the post’s headline, Jimmy Vesey was just 14 when he first watched it.)

(Apparently there were some complaints about a fan showing up in Flyers gear, if you want to dive into that rabbit hole.)

Fire and fun

Let’s just run down some of the really cool images under this miscellaneous category.

Honestly, this shot’s existence is a rebuttal to anyone complaining about outdoor games. So cool.

The Mets gave the Winter Classic a nod and referenced that SNL skit:

Good old puns:

https://www.instagram.com/p/BdbS711hocM/?tagged=skjeistadium

More 2018 Winter Classic material from PHT

A breakdown of the Rangers’ 3-2 overtime win.

U.S. Olympic rosters were named during the Winter Classic.

Jeremy Roenick took the polar bear plunge.

Rangers, Sabres take advantage of Winter Classic distraction.

Old friends Lehner, Lundqvist ready to face off at Winter Classic.


James O’Brien is a writer for Pro Hockey Talk on NBC Sports. Drop him a line at phtblog@nbcsports.com or follow him on Twitter @cyclelikesedins.