Crosby vs Ovechkin In Rain

Alexander Ovechkin  will be able to celebrate New Year's
Eve as the Winter Classic has been moved to 8 p.m. ET

The Winter Classic has been ultra-popular for the NHL over the past couple of seasons, including last year's memorable game at Chicago's Wrigley Field.

This year the game will be played against Sidney Crosby's Pittsburgh Penguins and Alexander Ovechkin's Washington Capitals at Heinz Field in Pittsburgh.

There could be one problem in this match-up between the two best players in the NHL. 

RAIN!

The NHL decided to move the game in order to avoid rain in Pittsburgh on Saturday afternoon and to also avoid 50 degree temperatures, conditions that certainly could play havoc on a playing surface that must be frozen. 

At night, it will be colder and likely the rain will be over. 

"As coaches and players, we don't care if we go at midnight," Capitals coach Bruce Boudreau said. "Let's go."

The star players are on board with the late start too. 

"I don't see anything wrong with playing under the lights here," Crosby said. "I think that'd be pretty nice. We should all be enjoying ourselves no matter what the scenario."

Ovechkin, known for enjoying himself off the ice, is happy about the later start time too.

"You can sleep, you can eat normal food, steaks and spaghetti, and take a nap," he said. "You can celebrate New Year's, too."

The Winter Classic this year could be a complete flop with rainy conditions and a drunk Alexander Ovechkin.

But the NHL has accomplished its goal with this even either way.  Everyone is talking about hockey.

Hopefully Crosby and Ovechkin can play some good hockey on prime time television. 

Related articles

• NHL changes Winter Classic start time to 8 p.m. ET Saturday (sportingnews.com)
• History of the NHL's Winter Classic (amog.com)
• 2011 'Bridgestone NHL Winter Classic' by the Numbers (tvbythenumbers.zap2it.com)
• Alexander Ovechkin and Sidney Crosby: A Timeline of Their Rivalry (bleacherreport.com)