2016 Heritage Classic

Not to be confused with 2016 NHL Winter Classic.
2016 Heritage Classic
123 Total
Edmonton Oilers 030 3
Winnipeg Jets 000 0
Date October 23, 2016
Arena Investors Group Field
City Winnipeg, Manitoba
Attendance 33,240
← 2014
Panorama during gameplay of the 2016 Heritage Classic at Investors Group Field late in the game with the Edmonton Oilers leading the Winnipeg Jets by a score of 3-0

The 2016 Heritage Classic (known as the 2016 Tim Hortons NHL Heritage Classic for sponsorship reasons) was a regular season outdoor National Hockey League (NHL) game that was held on October 23, 2016. The game featured the Winnipeg Jets hosting the Edmonton Oilers at Investors Group Field, home of the CFL's Winnipeg Blue Bombers. The Oilers defeated the Jets, 3-0. This was the fourth NHL Heritage Classic game, and the first of four outdoor regular season games during the 2016-17 NHL season. Unusual for the NHL outdoor games, the 2016 Heritage Classic was held in mid-autumn, during the first month of the regular season, to avoid Winnipeg's harsher winter temperatures.[1]

Background

The Jets originally announced in 2013 that they had reached an agreement with the NHL to host the game, to celebrate five years since the Atlanta Thrashers moved to Winnipeg, returning the NHL to Manitoba after a fifteen-year absence. The team had originally wanted to host the game in 2015–16, its actual fifth season.[2] However, a disagreement occurred between the NHL and the Winnipeg Blue Bombers over the game's exact date: the league wanted it held in December 2015 while the football team became concerned that this date was too close to the 103rd Grey Cup being held at the stadium on November 29.[3] In January 2015, the Jets announced that they could not reach an agreement to finalize a date for the Heritage Classic during the 2015-16 season.[4] On March 6, 2016, the NHL officially announced that the Jets would host the Oilers in the 2016 Heritage Classic during the 2016–17 NHL season; the Blue Bombers would be on a bye week that week and would play their second last home game before the Heritage Classic on October 8. This gave the NHL nearly two weeks to prepare the stadium for the game.[5]

Game Summary

Due to concern over the glare of sunlight expressed by the players, the game was delayed two hours from the original start time of 2:00 p.m..[6] The temperature at opening face-off was 10.1 °C (50.2 °F), which was above seasonal for late October weather in Winnipeg.[7] The Oilers basically controlled the entire game, with three different players scoring goals in the second period, while goalie Cam Talbot made 31 saves in the shutout.

Scoring summary
Period Team Goal Assist(s) Time Score
1st No scoring
2nd EDM Mark Letestu (2) – sh Unassisted 09:24 1–0 EDM
EDM Darnell Nurse (1) Connor McDavid (5) and Zack Kassian (2) 11:10 2–0 EDM
EDM Zack Kassian (2) Benoit Pouliot (1) and Ryan Nugent-Hopkins (2) 17:16 3–0 EDM
3rd No scoring
Number in parenthesis represents the player's total in goals or assists to that point of the season
Penalty summary
Period Team Player Penalty Time PIM
1st EDM Milan Lucic Roughing 13:21 2:00
2nd EDM Darnell Nurse Cross-checking 09:02 2:00
EDM Andrej Sekera Interference 18:13 2:00
3rd WPG Mathieu Perreault Hi-sticking 09:12 2:00
WPG Tyler Myers Interference 10:17 2:00
EDM Connor McDavid Tripping 17:53 2:00

Shots by period
Team 1 2 3 Total
Edmonton 8 14 10 32
Winnipeg 10 11 10 31
Power play opportunities
Team Goals/Opportunities
Edmonton 0/2
Winnpeg 0/4

Three star selections[8]
Team Player Statistics
1st EDM Cam Talbot Shutout
2nd EDM Mark Letestu 1 Shorthanded goal
3rd EDM Darnell Nurse 1 Goal

Alumni Game

Gameplay during the 2016 Heritage Classic Alumni Game with the Edmonton Oilers Alumni taking on the host Winnipeg Jets Alumni

The Alumni Game preceding the Heritage Classic game featured players from the previous Winnipeg Jets, making it the first time that the current Jets franchise has recognized the original Jets as part of its history other than in name.

Jennifer Hanson, who sang the Canadian National Anthem before Winnipeg Jets games in the 1990s, returned to Winnipeg to sing O Canada prior to the alumni game.[9]

The host Winnipeg Jets alumni team was captained by former star and captain Dale Hawerchuk, while the Edmonton Oilers alumni team was captained by Wayne Gretzky, also a former captain who led the Oilers to 4 Stanley Cup Championships while breaking numerous league records along the way.[10]

Edmonton Oilers player Willy Lindstrom was traded to the Winnipeg Jets prior to the start of the third period in exchange for a first-round selection in the next alumni game. Lindstrom had previously played for both the Winnipeg Jets and the Edmonton Oilers during his playing career.[11]

Television

The game was broadcast on Sportsnet and TVA Sports in Canada, while the NHL Network simulcast Sportsnet's feed in the U.S.[12]

A portrait of Queen Elizabeth II, one of the largest known, that hung in the Winnipeg Arena from 1979-1999, made an appearance in Downtown Winnipeg during the 2016 Heritage Classic

References

  1. ↑ "Heritage Classic set for Oct. 23". Winnipeg Sun. Postmedia Network. March 6, 2016. Retrieved March 10, 2016.
  2. ↑ Lawless, Gary (December 10, 2013). "Winnipeg lands Heritage Classic". Winnipeg Free Press. p. D3. Retrieved December 10, 2013.
  3. ↑ Johnston, Mike (January 20, 2015). "Winnipeg Heritage Classic postponed until 2016". Sportsnet. Retrieved May 31, 2015.
  4. ↑ "Statement Regarding the Heritage Classic". Winnipeg Jets. January 20, 2015. Retrieved January 20, 2015.
  5. ↑ "2016 Tim Hortons NHL Heritage Classic coming to Winnipeg". NHL. March 6, 2016. Retrieved March 6, 2016.
  6. ↑ Campbell, Tim (October 23, 2016). "Heritage Classic shined bright despite game delay". National Hockey League. Retrieved October 30, 2016.
  7. ↑ Rosset, Mitch (October 23, 2016). "Edmonton Oilers shut out Winnipeg Jets in Heritage Classic". Global News. Retrieved October 30, 2016.
  8. ↑ "Oilers shut out Jets 3-0 at Heritage Classic". Edmonton Journal. 2016-10-24. Retrieved 2016-10-31.
  9. ↑ Penton, Kirk (October 22, 2016). "Bandit Berthiaume strikes again". Winnipeg Sun. Retrieved October 31, 2016.
  10. ↑ Williams Patrick (March 6, 2016). "Gretzky to play for Oilers at alumni game". NHL. Retrieved October 31, 2016.
  11. ↑ Campbell, Tim (October 22, 2016). "Lindstrom traded during Heritage Classic Alumni Game". NHL. Retrieved October 31, 2016.
  12. ↑ "Details announced for 2016 Heritage Classic". NHL.com. Retrieved 2016-10-31.
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