HAPPY NEW YEAR!
It's time to drop the puck on the 2019 portion of the 2018-2019 season. But first, let's take a little standings update to see how all of the NHL's teams are doing so far...
--- EASTERN CONFERENCE ---
ATLANTIC: Tampa Bay (31-7-2; 64 pts.), TOR (26-11-2; 54 pts.), BUF (21-13-6; 48 pts.), MON (21-14-5; 47 pts.) BOS (21-14-4; 46 pts.), FLA (17-15-6; 40 pts.), DET (15-19-7; 37 pts.), OTT (15-21-4; 34 pts.)
METROPOLITAN: Washington (24-11-3; 51 pts.), CBJ (23-13-3; 49 pts.), PIT (21-12-6; 48 pts), NYI (21-13-4; 46 pts.) NYR (17-14-7; 41 pts.), NJ (15-16-7; 37 pts.), CAR (16-17-5; 37 pts.), PHI (15-18-5; 35 pts.)
CURRENT EAST PLAYOFFS: TB, TOR, BUF, WAS, CBJ, PIT, MON (WC), NYI (WC)
--- WESTERN CONFERENCE ---
CENTRAL: Winnipeg (25-12-2; 52 pts.), NSH (23-15-2; 48 pts), COL (19-13-8; 46 pts.), DAL (20-16-4; 44 pts.), MIN (18-17-3; 39 pts.), CHI (15-20-6; 36 pts.), STL (15-18-4; 34 pts.)
PACIFIC: Calgary (24-12-4; 52 pts.), VGK (23-15-4; 50 pts.), SJ (21-13-7; 49 pts.), ANA (19-15-7; 45 pts), VAN (19-19-4; 42 pts.), EDM (18-18-3; 39 pts.), ARI (17-20-2; 36 pts.), LA (16-21-3; 35 pts.)
CURRENT WEST PLAYOFFS: WPG, NSH, COL, CGY, VGK, SJ, ANA (WC), DAL (WC)
Now on to today's card. Here is how 2019 will start in the NHL:
* BOS Bruins vs. CHI Blackhawks (NHL Winter Classic - South Bend, IN)
* PHI Flyers at NSH Predators
* LA Kings at VGK Golden Knights
So Notre Dame football fans may not like seeing their team get smashed by Clemson in the College Football Playoff. Well, in return, the University of Notre Dame (which does have a good hockey team) will get to host an NHL match with two of the NHL's Original Six. We got Boston and Chicago going at it.
Enjoy today's action, and good luck to all of your favorite teams!