CHICAGO – New Year’s Eve was a tense time ahead of puck drop of the 2025 (or was it the 2024b) National Hockey League Winter Classic between the Blackhawks and St Lois Blues.. 
Rain had settled in the area early Tuesday morning after a near perfect practice Days on Monday at Wrigley Field. A cold, sunny day was replaced by lowing wind and rain starting very early in the morning and lasting through the scheduled puck drop. Indeed, the final pre-game, on ice interview for television was conducted while rain soaked the interviewee.
The Zambonis circled the rink in an effort to stay ahead of rain-caused damage to the ice surface. The rain front passed over Wrigley and the stage was set.
Well, it was set for everyone but the Blackhawks.
Skating in his 1,000th career game, the Blues’ Cam Fowler picked up and early power play goal to give them a 1-0 lead.
Fowler hit for a double in the game, a 6-2 thrashing of the Hawks by St Louis.
“Couldn’t ask for anything more from this experience,” Fowler said. “It was an awesome night for all of us but more special because we got a win. That kind of seals everything for us.”
Jordan Binnington made 28 saves for the win.
“We were talking after the game in the room there and just from the walkout, national anthem, the music going, the flyover and the fireworks, guys were getting emotional,” Binnington said. “You’re thinking about everything that’s led you to this moment. You have your family with you. The NHL did an incredible job with this production and we’re all just very grateful. It was a really great event. It was a great atmosphere and hearing our St. Louis fans at the end of the game counting how many goals we had, it was a lot of fun.”
Riding the power pay, the Blues doubled their lead to 2-0 on a second man advantage strike by Jordan Kyrou before the midway point of the first period.
The he heavy attendance by St Louis fans were in full throated support of their team.
“I mean, during the national anthem and right before it started, the ‘Let’s go Blues, Let’s go Hawks’ back and forth, that was unbelievable,” St. Louis coach Jim Montgomery said. “I felt like a little kid just being a part of a special event.”
Wrigley was filled with chants for the Blues.
“Our first 10 minutes was excellent,” Montgomery said.
Chicago got one goal back on their power play when Taylor Hall made it 2-1 to give the Blackhawks some life. But it wasn’t nearly the lift the team needed.
In the locker room, after the game, Hall was emotional, to say the least.
“I’m shocked at how we played,” Hall said. “Just really disappointing. Our fans, they’ve been through a lot this year and they came to support us so much today, you really felt the energy before the game. For us to lay an egg like that, I’m really sad for the people that support us and for us in here, it’s got to be a huge wake-up call, just how hard we have to play.”
The middle frame was telling for the Blues’ response to each Chicago effort to get back in the game. By the end of the second, the Blues had tacked on three goals for a 5-1 lead headed to the third period, and the game was over.
Justin Faulk made it 3-1, Dylan Holloway pushed the lead to 4-1, and Fowler ballooned the advantage to 5-1 later in the period.
In the third period, the Hawks lacked any push back and scored a so what goal by Tyler Bertuzzi to cut the deficit to 5-2.
The Blues’ Alexandre Texier replied late in the third to make the 6-2 final.
“Chicago knows how to celebrate sports and our fans did not disappoint today, and I think that’s what makes it so [darn] difficult right now,” Chicago’s Nick Foligno said. “It’s just embarrassing to lose 6-2 in an environment like that at home. Our fans deserve better. It’s in this room to figure it out because that’s three games in a row where it’s not good enough. I don’t know. I really wish I had an answer for you. On this stage, with the excitement we had before the game, I thought this was going to be a turning point for our club and obviously it wasn’t.”
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Petr Mrazek made 22 saves in the loss, and was left abandoned by his defense at the crease.
PHOTO CREDIT: Jack.Lima@prohockeynews.com
