View source for 2009 NHL Winter Classic

{{Short description|Outdoor National Hockey League game in Chicago, Illinois}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=August 2023}}
{{Infobox ice hockey game
| outdoor = yes
| game_name = 2009 NHL Winter Classic
| image = 2009 NHL Winter Classic logo.png
| visitor = '''[[2008–09 Detroit Red Wings season|Detroit Red Wings]]'''
| home = [[2008–09 Chicago Blackhawks season|Chicago Blackhawks]]
| visitor_total = 6
| home_total = 4
| visitor_per1 = 1
| visitor_per2 = 3
| visitor_per3 = 2
| visitor_OT = 
| visitor_SO = 
| home_per1 = 3
| home_per2 = 0
| home_per3 = 1
| home_OT = 
| home_SO = 
| date = January 1, 2009
| arena = [[Wrigley Field]]
| city = [[Chicago, Illinois]]
| attendance = 40,818<ref>{{cite news| url=https://www.espn.com/nhl/columns/story?columnist=burnside_scott&id=3804478 | title=Another successful outdoor tilt gives NHL its signature event | work=[[ESPN.com]] | last=Burnside | first=Scott | date=2009-01-01 | access-date=2009-01-02| archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20090121181659/http://sports.espn.go.com/nhl/columns/story?columnist=burnside_scott&id=3804478| archive-date= 21 January 2009 | url-status= live}}</ref>
| previous = [[2008 NHL Winter Classic|2008]]
| next = [[2010 NHL Winter Classic|2010]]
}}

The '''2009 NHL Winter Classic''' (known via corporate sponsorship as the '''Bridgestone NHL Winter Classic 2009''') was an [[NHL outdoor games|outdoor]] [[ice hockey]] game played in the [[National Hockey League]] (NHL) on January 1, 2009, at [[Wrigley Field]] in [[Chicago]], [[Illinois]]. The second edition of the [[NHL Winter Classic|Winter Classic]], it matched the [[Chicago Blackhawks]] against the defending [[2008 Stanley Cup Finals|Stanley Cup champion]] [[Detroit Red Wings]] in the 701st game between the [[Central Division (NHL)|Central Division]] rivals.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.nhl.com/nhl/app/?service=page&page=NewsPage&articleid=368489 |title=Blackhawks, Red Wings meet in the great outdoors |publisher=[[National Hockey League|NHL.com]] |last=Rosen |first=Dan |date=2008-07-16 |access-date=2008-07-17 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://archive.today/20090118210509/http://www.nhl.com/nhl/app/?service=page&page=NewsPage&articleid=368489 |archive-date=2009-01-18 }}</ref> The Red Wings won the game, 6–4, despite falling behind 3–1 in the first period. It was the first Winter Classic to involve at least one of the [[Original Six]] teams, and the first to feature teams from the [[Western Conference (NHL)|Western Conference]].

The two teams wore vintage-style [[NHL uniform|uniforms]], using [[Reebok]] Edge equipment and material. The Red Wings wore a version of the sweaters worn by the Detroit Cougars in [[1926–27 NHL season|1926–27]], their first season in the NHL, but with their familiar "Winged Wheel" logo on the shoulders. The Blackhawks wore sweaters which were a mix of their [[1936–37 NHL season|1936–37]] sweaters and their [[1937–38 NHL season|1937–38]] sweaters, with the design from 1936 to 1937 and the chest crest from 1937 to 1938.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.nhl.com/ice/news.htm?id=388634 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090319065909/http://www.nhl.com/ice/news.htm?id=388634 |url-status=dead |archive-date=2009-03-19 |title='Hawks and Wings to sport retro jersey outdoors |publisher=[[National Hockey League|NHL.com]] |date=2008-10-25 |access-date=2008-12-31 }}</ref>

==Host selection==
[[File:2009 Winter Classic.jpg|thumb|300px|View of the rink immediately prior to the start of the game]]
On May 29, 2008, [[The Sports Network|TSN]] reported that Chicago was chosen to host the annual outdoor game over [[New York City]], the other host finalist for the game. A game in New York City would have been played at the [[Yankee Stadium (1923)|original Yankee Stadium]], which closed after hosting the [[New York Yankees]] from 1923 to 2008.<ref name=TSN-Report-Blackhawks>{{cite web | author=TSN.CA Staff | date=2008-05-29 | url=https://www.tsn.ca/story/?id=239172 | title=Report: Blackhawks to Host Next Season's Winter Classic | work=[[The Sports Network|TSN]] | access-date=2008-07-17 }}</ref> Logistical concerns, however, forced New York out because the stadium was to be demolished; if the game had been played at Yankee Stadium, it would have been the last event in that building.<ref name=TSN-Report-Yankee>{{cite web | author=TSN.CA Staff | date=2008-03-10 | url=https://www.tsn.ca/nhl/story/?id=231692 | title=Report: NHL Eyes Yankee Stadium Game | work=[[The Sports Network|TSN]] | access-date=2008-07-17 }}</ref>

[[Beaver Stadium]], the [[List of North American stadiums by capacity|second largest outdoor sports venue in North America]] and the home of the [[Penn State Nittany Lions football]] team, was also in consideration, with that location likely only if the two teams were the [[Pittsburgh Penguins]] and [[Philadelphia Flyers]]; because the Penguins had played in the previous Winter Classic, this scenario was ultimately rejected for 2009.<ref>{{cite news| url=https://sports.yahoo.com/nhl/blog/puck_daddy/post/Yankee-Stadium-Too-old-to-host-the-Winter-Class?urn=nhl,82649 | title=Yankee Stadium: Too old to host the Winter Classic? | publisher=[[Yahoo! Sports]] | last=Wyshynski | first=Greg | date=2008-05-15 | access-date=2008-07-29}}</ref>

Original reports said the game was going be played at [[Soldier Field]]. However, the [[Chicago Bears]] objected to the use of Soldier Field, citing the potential to host an [[NFL]] playoff game on the following weekend. On July 6, the ''[[Minneapolis Star Tribune]]'' reported that Wrigley Field, home of the [[Chicago Cubs]], was chosen to host the game.<ref>{{cite news | last=Russo | first=Michael | title=Hawks, Wings to play Jan. 1 at Wrigley Field | url=http://www.startribune.com/sports/wild/23999864.html?location_refer=$urlTrackSectionName | date=2008-07-06 | work=StarTribune.com | publisher=[[Star Tribune]] | location=[[Minneapolis, Minnesota|Minneapolis]], [[Minnesota]] | access-date=2008-09-04}}</ref> Ten days later, on July 16, the Blackhawks and the NHL confirmed the site and date. There had never been a hockey game at Wrigley Field in the past, and in addition, the rink was left up until January 4 for community skates at The Friendly Confines, with the $10 admission for an hour of skating donated to Cubs Care charities, which was sold out.

==Preparations==
[[File:Wrigley set up for Winter Classic (3185366231) (2).jpg|thumb|Rink at Wrigley Field, photographed on December 21, 2008]]
[[File:Wrigley Field - Winter Classic.jpg|thumb|Fans outside Wrigley Field, prior to the game]]

Construction of the ice rink began on December 16, 2008, eight days earlier than [[2008 NHL Winter Classic|last season's Classic]]. It was again being supervised by Dan Craig, the NHL's facilities operations manager. This time, the crew did not have to wait for any other sport to be played in the stadium, so there was more time to prepare the venue for the Classic. The rink was built from the bottom with [[plywood]] and [[aluminum]] panels, the latter of which have tubes to move [[coolant]] under the ice to maintain a cold temperature. The coolant comes from a truck based outside of the ballpark.<ref>{{cite news| url=http://www.nhl.com/ice/news.htm?id=398689 | title=What does it take to build a hockey rink? | publisher=[[National Hockey League|NHL.com]] | last=Shea | first=Steven | date=2008-12-17 | access-date=2008-12-23}}</ref>

The NHL had a Spectator Plaza outside of Wrigley Field at the intersection of West Waveland and North Clark Streets. This included ticket giveaways, live music, interactive games, ice sculpting and other entertainment on the day of the Classic.<ref>{{cite news| url=http://www.nhl.com/ice/news.htm?id=399559 | title=NHL to transform streets outside Wrigley into NHL Winter Classic Spectator Plaza | publisher=[[National Hockey League|NHL.com]] | date=2008-12-22 | access-date=2008-12-23}}</ref>

The 95-year legacy of Wrigley Field as a baseball venue resulted in several nods to baseball. The exterior of the rink was decorated to resemble the low brick wall that fronts the box seating area at the ballpark. Cubs' Hall of Famers [[Billy Williams (left fielder)|Billy Williams]], [[Ferguson Jenkins]] and [[Ryne Sandberg]] were on hand for the pregame ceremonies, along with several retired Blackhawks players. About halfway through the third period, Sandberg along with [[Bobby Hull]], [[Stan Mikita]] and [[Denis Savard]] sang a variation on "[[Take Me Out to the Ball Game]]" with a few word changes to reference hockey.

==Pregame==
The national anthems were performed by Scott Newlands ("[[O Canada]]") and Chicago Blackhawks anthem singer, [[Jim Cornelison]] ("[[The Star-Spangled Banner]]").

==Rule changes==
As with the [[2008 NHL Winter Classic|2008 game]] in [[Ralph Wilson Stadium]], the NHL announced a rule change to account for any possible adverse weather conditions. Taking into account high winds which are common during baseball games at Wrigley Field, the teams changed sides at the first whistle after the halfway point of the third period. This was done at exactly the halfway point of the third in 2008 because of falling snow.

==Media coverage==
[[File:Camera filming Winter Classic from a vantage point inside of the Wrigley Field scoreboard (3157213345).jpg|thumb|Television camera positioned from inside of Wrigley Field's center field scoreboard]]

Television coverage of the game was handled in the [[United States]] by [[NHL on NBC|NBC]]. [[Mike Emrick]], the lead play-by-play announcer for NBC, was not able to call play-by-play for the game due to [[laryngitis]]. He was replaced by [[Dave Strader]].<ref>{{cite news| url=http://www.nhl.com/ice/news.htm?id=401157 | title=Emrick to miss Bridgestone Winter Classic | publisher=[[National Hockey League|NHL.com]] | date=2008-12-31 | access-date=2008-12-31}}</ref> [[Eddie Olczyk]], [[Pierre McGuire]], [[Darren Pang]], and [[Mike Milbury]] again provided analysis.<ref>{{cite news| url=http://www.nhl.com/ice/news.htm?id=400660 | title=Emrick: Neither rain, nor snow ... | publisher=[[National Hockey League|NHL.com]] | last=Morreale | first=Mike G. | date=2008-12-29 | access-date=2008-12-31}}</ref> In [[Canada]], [[Hockey Night in Canada|CBC]] carried the game in English and [[Réseau des sports|RDS]] broadcast in French. [[NASN]] televised the game live overseas in the United Kingdom, where it started at 6 p.m. local time. Additionally, NHL.com offered bonus video coverage. The radio feed was broadcast by [[NHL Radio]] on [[Westwood One (1976–2011)|Westwood One]] throughout [[North America]], excluding the markets of the competing teams, and was carried by [[Sirius XM Radio]]. In addition, the [[NHL Network (United States)|American]] and [[NHL Network (Canada)|Canadian]] versions of the NHL Network carried programming bookending the event starting with the practice sessions one day earlier, as well as the pre-game and post-game events and offered replays that weekend using both NBC's and CBC's feeds.

===Television ratings===
One reason that the NHL does the outdoor game is to promote the League on television. The television ratings will partially determine if the outdoor game events will continue. On January 3, 2009, the NHL reported that the "overnight television ratings" had increased 12% over the 2008 game. Nationally, the game had a 2.9 overnight rating and a 6 share. In Chicago, Thursday's game drew a national high of an 11.8 rating and 21 share, with Detroit second at 10.5 and 21 (this despite that yet again, a Michigan-based team was playing in the [[Capital One Bowl]] opposite the Winter Classic, the [[Michigan State Spartans football|Michigan State Spartans]]). Other above-average markets included Buffalo (whose 10.1 rating/20 share was comparable to Detroit's), St. Louis (5.3/10), Pittsburgh (4.4/8), Denver (4.2/10), Providence (3.5/7), Indianapolis (3.4/6), West Palm Beach (3.3/6) and Orlando (3.2/5).<ref>NHL WINTER CLASSIC ON NBC DELIVERS BEST REGULAR SEASON OVERNIGHT IN NEARLY 13 YEARS. NBC press release. 3 January 2009.</ref> Each overnight ratings point equals about 735,000 TV homes.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.chicagotribune.com/sports/hockey/blackhawks/chi-04-classic-ratingsjan04,0,5533012.story |title=Winter Classic draws impressive ratings |work=Chicago Tribune |date=January 3, 2009 |last=Kuc |first=Chris |access-date=6 January 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090114072051/http://www.chicagotribune.com/sports/hockey/blackhawks/chi-04-classic-ratingsjan04%2C0%2C5533012.story |archive-date=14 January 2009 |url-status=dead }}</ref> On January 12, the final ratings figure was announced. There was an average of 4.4 million viewers of the game on NBC, and this was the largest since the February 23, 1975, match between the Philadelphia Flyers and the [[New York Rangers]].<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.detnews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20090112/SPORTS0103/901120431/1361 |title=Wings' game draws largest TV audience in 33 years |work=Detroit News |date=January 12, 2009 |access-date=January 12, 2009}}</ref>

==Game summary==
{{NHLPlayoffs
|team1= Detroit Red Wings
|team2= Chicago Blackhawks
|stadium1= [[Wrigley Field]]
|date1= Jan 1, 2009
|score1= 6–4
|won1 = 1
|recap1 = https://web.archive.org/web/20230727203229/https://www.nhl.com/ice/news.htm?id=401407
}}
The Red Wings dressed seven defensemen for the game, as they did in their prior game, to account for [[Nicklas Lidström|Nicklas Lidstrom]] returning from an ankle injury. Healthy scratches included forward [[Tomáš Kopecký|Tomas Kopecky]] and defenseman [[Derek Meech]]. The Blackhawks scratched forward [[Adam Burish]] and defenseman [[Aaron Johnson (ice hockey)|Aaron Johnson]].<ref>{{cite news| url=http://www.mlive.com/redwings/index.ssf/2009/01/tomas_kopecky_derek_meech_scra.html | title=Tomas Kopecky, Derek Meech scratched for Red Wings | publisher=mlive.com | last=Khan | first=Ansar | date=2009-01-01 | access-date=2009-01-01}}</ref> [[Ty Conklin]] started in goal for the Red Wings, making him the only player to take the ice for all three regular season NHL outdoor games (after having played for the [[Edmonton Oilers]] in the [[2003 Heritage Classic|Heritage Classic]] in 2003 and the Pittsburgh Penguins in the [[2008 NHL Winter Classic]]). During the intermissions, members of the [[Northwestern University Wildcat Marching Band]] and the [[Northern Illinois University]] Huskie Marching Band played on the field to entertain the crowd.

The first three combined goals were scored on the [[power play (sporting term)|power play]]. The Red Wings paid for a mistake while they were already shorthanded, having too many players on the ice, putting them down by two men. Rookie [[Winger (ice hockey)|winger]] [[Kris Versteeg]] scored the first goal of the game for the Blackhawks with three seconds left in the two-man advantage. The Red Wings' [[Mikael Samuelsson]] scored with three seconds remaining on his team's second power play which was the result of a [[Dustin Byfuglien]] roughing minor that was called during one of the many post-whistle scrums during the first period. [[Martin Havlát|Martin Havlat]] capitalized on another Red Wings mistake, scoring on the power play that resulted from [[Brett Lebda]] shooting the puck over the glass from his defensive zone. [[Ben Eager]] closed the scoring in the first period with a wrap-around goal.

Detroit scored the next five goals, the first two from [[Jiří Hudler|Jiri Hudler]] and the next from [[Pavel Datsyuk]] at even-strength in the second period. Datsyuk's goal was hailed as being wind-assisted, since Datsyuk picked up a burst of speed as he went between two Blackhawks defenders to find a clear path to the net.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.freep.com/article/20090102/SPORTS05/901020341/1048/SPORTS |title=It was the wind beneath our Wings |newspaper=[[Detroit Free Press]] |last=Schrader |first=Steve |date=2009-01-02 |access-date=2009-01-09 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150715023926/http://www.freep.com/article/20090102/SPORTS05/901020341/1048/SPORTS |archive-date=July 15, 2015 }}</ref> In the third period, [[Defenseman (ice hockey)|defenseman]] [[Brian Rafalski]] scored the eventual game-winning goal on the power play. Seventeen seconds later, Brett Lebda scored the Red Wings' final goal, chasing [[Cristobal Huet]] from the net, with [[Nikolai Khabibulin]] taking over for him. In his 16:36 of play,<ref>{{cite web| url=http://www.nhl.com/scores/htmlreports/20082009/TH020554.HTM | title=Time On Ice Report Home Team | publisher=[[National Hockey League]] | date=2009-01-01 | access-date=2009-01-09}}</ref> Khabibulin saved all 13 shots that he faced, after Huet saved 24 of 30 shots. [[Duncan Keith]] closed the scoring for Chicago on the power play with less than ten seconds remaining. Conklin made 33 saves for the Red Wings on 37 shots.

{| style="width:100%;" class="wikitable"
|-
! colspan=6 | Scoring summary
|-
! style="width:12%;"| Period
! style="width:7%;"| Team
! style="width:28%;"| Goal
! style="width:35%;"| Assist(s)
! style="width:7%;"| Time
! style="width:11%;"| Score
|-
| rowspan="4" align=center | '''1st'''
| CHI
| [[Kris Versteeg]] (11) ([[Power play (sporting term)|PP]])
| [[Martin Havlát|Martin Havlat]] (18), [[Brent Seabrook]] (7)
| 3:24
| '''1–0 CHI'''
|-
| DET
| [[Mikael Samuelsson]] (8) (PP)
| [[Henrik Zetterberg]] (18), [[Marián Hossa|Marian Hossa]] (18)
| 9:50
| '''1–1'''
|-
| CHI
| [[Martin Havlát|Martin Havlat]] (10) (PP)
| [[Kris Versteeg]] (20), [[Brian Campbell]] (21)
| 12:37
| '''2–1 CHI'''
|-
| CHI
| [[Ben Eager]] (7)
| [[Martin Havlát|Martin Havlat]] (19)
| 19:18
| '''3–1 CHI'''
|-
| rowspan="3" align=center | '''2nd'''
| DET
| [[Jiří Hudler|Jiri Hudler]] (14)
| Marian Hossa (19), Henrik Zetterberg (19)
| 1:14
| '''3–2 CHI'''
|-
| DET
| Jiri Hudler (15)
| [[Brian Rafalski]] (24), [[Nicklas Lidström|Nicklas Lidstrom]] (20)
| 12:43
| '''3–3'''
|-
| DET
| [[Pavel Datsyuk]] (16)
| [[Johan Franzén|Johan Franzen]] (10), Brian Rafalski (25)
| 17:17
| '''4–3 DET'''
|-
| rowspan="3" align=center | '''3rd'''
| DET
| Brian Rafalski (5) (PP)
| Jiri Hudler (17), [[Tomas Holmström|Tomas Holmstrom]] (13)
| 3:07
| '''5–3 DET'''
|-
| DET
| [[Brett Lebda]] (3)
| Henrik Zetterberg (20), Marian Hossa (20)
| 3:24
| '''6–3 DET'''
|-
| CHI
| [[Duncan Keith]] (5) (PP)
| [[Patrick Sharp]] (12), [[Jonathan Toews]] (20)
| 19:50
| '''6–4 DET'''
|}
:''Number in parentheses represents the player's total in goals or assists to that point of the season''
{| style="width:100%;" class="wikitable"
|-
! colspan=6 | Penalty summary
|-
! style="width:12%;"| Period
! style="width:7%;"| Team
! style="width:28%;"| Player
! style="width:35%;"| [[Penalty (ice hockey)|Penalty]]
! style="width:7%;"| Time
! style="width:11%;"| PIM
|-
| rowspan="6" align=center | '''1st'''
| DET
| [[Pavel Datsyuk]]
| [[Hooking (ice hockey)|Hooking]]
| 0:37
| 2:00
|-
| DET
| Red Wings Bench (served by [[Jiří Hudler|Jiri Hudler]])
| [[Too Many Men]]
| 2:06
| 2:00
|-
| CHI
| [[Ben Eager]]
| Slashing
| 4:52
| 2:00
|-
| CHI
| [[Dustin Byfuglien]]
| Roughing
| 7:53
| 2:00
|-
| DET
| [[Brett Lebda]]
| Delay of Game
| 11:27
| 2:00
|-
| DET
| [[Andreas Lilja]]
| Roughing
| 13:01
| 2:00
|-
| rowspan="3" align=center | '''2nd'''
| DET
| [[Marián Hossa|Marian Hossa]]
| Goaltender Interference
| 4:28
| 2:00
|-
| CHI
| [[Jonathan Toews]]
| [[High-Sticking]]
| 4:35
| 2:00
|-
| CHI
| [[Brian Campbell]]
| [[Tripping (ice hockey)|Tripping]]
| 10:42
| 2:00
|-
| rowspan="2" align=center | '''3rd'''
| CHI
| [[James Wisniewski]]
| Holding
| 2:20
| 2:00
|-
| DET
| [[Valtteri Filppula]]
| Holding
| 19:07
| 2:00
|}
{{col-begin}}
{{col-2}}
{| class="wikitable" style="width:20em; text-align:right;"
|-
! colspan=6 | Shots by period
|-
! style="width:8em; text-align:left;" | Team
! style="width:3em;"         | 1
! style="width:3em;"         | 2
! style="width:3em;"         | 3
! style="width:3em;"         | Total
|-
| style="text-align:left;"| Detroit || 13 || 13 || 17 || 43
|-
| style="text-align:left;"| Chicago || 14 || 13 || 10 || 37
|}
{{col-break|gap=1em}}
{| class="wikitable" style="width:100%;text-align: center;" 
! colspan=2 | Power play opportunities
|-
! style="width:60%;"| Team
! style="width:40%;"| Goals/Opportunities
|-
| Detroit || 2/5
|-
| Chicago || 3/6
|}
{{col-end}}

==Team rosters==

{{col-begin}}
{{col-break}}
{| class="wikitable" style="width:65%; text-align:center"
! colspan=4 | Detroit Red Wings
|-
! #
!
! Player
! Position
|-
| '''3'''
| {{flagicon|SWE}}
| align=left | [[Andreas Lilja]]
| D
|-
| '''5'''
| {{flagicon|SWE}}
| align=left | [[Nicklas Lidström|Nicklas Lidstrom]] (C)
| D
|-
| '''11'''
| {{flagicon|CAN}}
| align=left | [[Daniel Cleary]]
| RW
|-
| '''13'''
| {{flagicon|RUS}}
| align=left | [[Pavel Datsyuk]]
| C
|-
| '''18'''
| {{flagicon|CAN}}
| align=left | [[Kirk Maltby]]
| RW
|-
| '''22'''
| {{flagicon|USA}}
| align=left | [[Brett Lebda]]
| D
|-
| '''23'''
| {{flagicon|CAN}}
| align=left | [[Brad Stuart]]
| D
|-
| '''24'''
| {{flagicon|USA}}
| align=left | [[Chris Chelios]]
| D
|-
| '''26'''
| {{flagicon|CZE}}
| align=left | [[Jiří Hudler|Jiri Hudler]]
| LW
|-
| '''28'''
| {{flagicon|USA}}
| align=left | [[Brian Rafalski]]
| D
|-
| '''29'''
| {{flagicon|USA}}
| align=left | [[Ty Conklin]]
| G
|-
| '''30'''
| {{flagicon|CAN}}
| align=left | [[Chris Osgood]]{{Ref|1}}
| G
|-
| '''33'''
| {{flagicon|CAN}}
| align=left | [[Kris Draper]] (A)
| C
|-
| '''37'''
| {{flagicon|SWE}}
| align=left | [[Mikael Samuelsson]]
| RW
|-
| '''40'''
| {{flagicon|SWE}}
| align=left | [[Henrik Zetterberg]] (A)
| C
|-
| '''51'''
| {{flagicon|FIN}}
| align=left | [[Valtteri Filppula]]
| C
|-
| '''55'''
| {{flagicon|SWE}}
| align=left | [[Niklas Kronwall]]
| D
|-
| '''81'''
| {{flagicon|SVK}}
| align=left | [[Marián Hossa|Marian Hossa]]
| RW
|-
| '''93'''
| {{flagicon|SWE}}
| align=left | [[Johan Franzén|Johan Franzen]]
| LW
|-
| '''96'''
| {{flagicon|SWE}}
| align=left | [[Tomas Holmström|Tomas Holmstrom]]
| RW
|-
| colspan=4 |''Head coach:'' {{flagicon|CAN}} [[Mike Babcock]]
|}

{{col-break|gap=1em}}
{| class="wikitable" style="width:65%; text-align:center"
! colspan=4 | Chicago Blackhawks
|-
! #
!
! Player
! Position
|-
| '''2'''
| {{flagicon|CAN}}
| align=left | [[Duncan Keith]] (A)
| D
|-
| '''7'''
| {{flagicon|CAN}}
| align=left | [[Brent Seabrook]]
| D
|-
| '''8'''
| {{flagicon|CAN}}
| align=left | [[Matt Walker (ice hockey)|Matt Walker]]
| D
|-
| '''10'''
| {{flagicon|CAN}}
| align=left | [[Patrick Sharp]] (A)
| C
|-
| '''16'''
| {{flagicon|CAN}}
| align=left | [[Andrew Ladd]]
| LW
|-
| '''19'''
| {{flagicon|CAN}}
| align=left | [[Jonathan Toews]] (C)
| C
|-
| '''22'''
| {{flagicon|CAN}}
| align=left | [[Troy Brouwer]]
| RW
|-
| '''24'''
| {{flagicon|CZE}}
| align=left | [[Martin Havlát|Martin Havlat]]
| RW
|-
| '''25'''
| {{flagicon|CAN}}
| align=left | [[Cam Barker]]
| D
|-
| '''28'''
| {{flagicon|CAN}}
| align=left | [[Craig Adams (ice hockey)|Craig Adams]]
| RW
|-
| '''32'''
| {{flagicon|CAN}}
| align=left | [[Kris Versteeg]]
| LW
|-
| '''33'''
| {{flagicon|USA}}
| align=left | [[Dustin Byfuglien]]
| LW
|-
| '''36'''
| {{flagicon|CAN}}
| align=left | [[Dave Bolland]]
| C
|-
| '''38'''
| {{flagicon|FRA}}
| align=left | [[Cristobal Huet]]
| G
|-
| '''39'''
| {{flagicon|RUS}}
| align=left | [[Nikolai Khabibulin]]
| G
|-
| '''43'''
| {{flagicon|USA}}
| align=left | [[James Wisniewski]]
| D
|-
| '''46'''
| {{flagicon|CAN}}
| align=left | [[Colin Fraser (ice hockey)|Colin Fraser]]
| C
|-
| '''51'''
| {{flagicon|CAN}}
| align=left | [[Brian Campbell]]
| D
|-
| '''55'''
| {{flagicon|CAN}}
| align=left | [[Ben Eager]]
| LW
|-
| '''88'''
| {{flagicon|USA}}
| align=left | [[Patrick Kane]]
| RW
|-
| colspan=4 |''Head coach:'' {{flagicon|CAN}} [[Joel Quenneville]]
|}
{{col-end}}
:{{Note|1}}Chris Osgood served as the backup goalie for the Red Wings and did not enter the game.

===Scratches===
*Detroit Red Wings: [[Tomáš Kopecký|Tomas Kopecky]], [[Derek Meech]]
*Chicago Blackhawks: [[Aaron Johnson (ice hockey)|Aaron Johnson]], [[Adam Burish]]

===Officials===
* [[Official (ice hockey)#Referees|Referees]] — [[Bill McCreary (referee)|Bill McCreary]], Tim Peel
* [[Official (ice hockey)#Linesmen|Linesmen]] — Andy McElman, Dan Schachte

==Lost Logo Challenge==
Reebok sponsored a contest known as the "NHL Winter Classic Reebok Lost Logo Challenge," which challenged fans to find the one player on the ice without a Reebok logo on the back of his jersey. The player without the logo, therefore the correct entry to the contest, was [[Dustin Byfuglien]] of the Blackhawks. All RBK Edge sweaters have a Reebok vector logo near the top of the jersey above the player's nameplate, but this one jersey had no logo stitched in that position. Each person attending the game was given [[binoculars]] and was able to enter the contest by cell phone; television viewers could enter the contest online. Entries were accepted through the first two periods, at which time two winners, one inside Wrigley Field and one home viewer, were selected from those who chose the correct player. Each winner received an identical prize: a trip to a [[Stanley Cup Finals]] game and a $1,000 gift certificate to NHL.com.<ref>{{cite news| url=http://www.nhl.com/ice/news.htm?id=396822 | title=Reebok and the NHL challenge hockey fans to find the lost logo at NHL Winter Classic 2009 | publisher=[[National Hockey League|NHL.com]] | date=2008-12-08 | access-date=2008-12-31}}</ref>

==See also==
*[[2008–09 Chicago Blackhawks season]]
*[[2008–09 Detroit Red Wings season]]
*[[List of outdoor ice hockey games]]
*[[List of ice hockey games with highest attendance]]

==References==
{{Reflist|2}}

==External links==
*[http://www.nhl.com/ice/boxscore.htm?id=2008020554 Game boxscore]
*[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dBCpYZZh2QM 2009 Winter Classic television commercial]

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[[Category:NHL Winter Classic]]
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