Overview
- Mika Zibanejad produced the Winter Classic’s first hat trick and a five-point night, while Artemi Panarin scored twice and Alexis Lafreniere had three assists.
- Igor Shesterkin made 36 saves on 37 shots, and New York snapped a three-game slide to move to 6-0 all-time in outdoor games.
- A crowd of 36,153 filled loanDepot Park as temperatures around 63°F made this the NHL’s second-warmest outdoor game on record.
- The league deployed two mobile refrigeration units and thicker ice as the stadium’s retractable roof was kept open for the spectacle.
- The two-time defending champion Panthers were without stars Matthew Tkachuk and Aleksander Barkov, a factor as both clubs chase Eastern Conference positioning.