Winter Classic at Fenway: Sights and action from Penguins-Bruins

Time to go play outside. The NHL Winter Classic on Monday features the Pittsburgh Penguins against the Boston Bruins at Fenway Park, home of the Boston Red Sox.

This is the NHL’s second time playing in front of the Green Monster, the first coming in 2010. Since the Winter Classic began in 2008, the game has been played at a baseball stadium six times.

However, for the 110-year-old Fenway Park, this has been an active period for sports other than baseball. On Dec. 17, the stadium hosted the Wasabi Fenway Bowl between the Louisville Cardinals and Cincinnati Bearcats.

Here’s what the baseball stadium, which has hosted 11 World Series, looked like as a football stadium and hockey rink.

Pregame fashion

While playing at a baseball stadium, the Penguins are fitting into the surroundings. Jake Guentzel, Jan Rutta, Bryan Rust, Jason Zucker and other members of the team dressed in vintage Pittsburgh Pirates uniforms before the game. Goalie Casey DeSmith even put on the catcher’s gear.

The 1925 Pirates defeated the Washington Senators to win the franchise’s second World Series title.

The Bruins arrived at the stadium in vintage Red Sox uniforms.

“It’s a 1937, so I guess that’s kind of what we’re reenacting with the whole outfit,” Bruins forward Charlie Coyle told ESPN.

As he did an interview with a local sports network, Coyle smashed his hand into his baseball glove.

“I think some guys broke theirs in. I can barely [move my hand],” he said, laughing. “It’s pretty cool. You can’t believe guys wore something like this. It’s pretty different now.”

Sunday at the park

Prior to the Monday game, both teams were at Fenway. Besides hockey, there was Wiffle ball and even dancing.

Pastrnak’s Fenway stick

If Boston Bruins star David Pastrnak has a monstrous game during the Winter Classic, full credit might go to his Green Monster of a stick.

Over the weekend, Pastrnak revealed his specially designed lumber and skates for the Jan. 2 outdoor game. Both have green that mimics the iconic left-field wall at Fenway and stitching reminiscent of a baseball. They include the Winter Classic logo and a mockup of the scoreboard at Fenway.

The Bruins winger has his personal logo on the skates and stick, both created by Bauer Hockey.

One of the more unusual touches: the logo of Boston Red Sox legend David Ortiz on the shaft of the stick and on the side of the skate. “Hopefully, he can bring me some luck and I score a couple of home runs into the net,” Pastrnak said.

Of course, Pastrnak might not need much assistance in the goal-scoring department: He leads Boston with 25 tallies this season. — Greg Wyshynski