NHL Winter Classic heads to Boston

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BOSTON, July 15 (UPI) -- The Boston Bruins will face the Philadelphia Flyers next season in the NHL's Winter Classic Jan. 1, Commissioner Gary Bettman announced.

The New Years Day contest between the Eastern Conference rivals will be played on the infield at Fenway Park, the home field of baseball's Boston Red Sox since 1912.

"A unique event deserves a unique venue, and we are delighted the Bruins and Flyers will renew their rivalry with the 'Green Monster' providing the backdrop," Bettman said at news conference. "We welcome our fans, our teams, our sponsors and the great city of Boston to this annual celebration of our sport. In a very short time, the Winter Classic has become a hallmark of the NHL season."

The game was played at Buffalo's Ralph Wilson Stadium in 2008 by the Sabres and Pittsburgh Penguins with an NHL-record 71,217 fans attending, and last season, 40,818 at Chicago's Wrigley Field saw Detroit Red Wings play the Blackhawks.