MetLife Stadium must wait years to host Winter Classic, says NHL commissioner: Report

Important people surrounding MetLife Stadium fought long and hard to get a Super Bowl in the Meadowlands — and finally saw their vision come to fruition last February.

But if they were hoping for an NHL version of a wintertime event, they'll have to wait ... years.

NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman said it would be at least that long before MetLife Stadium would get a chance to host the annual Winter Classic.

Yankee Stadium hosted games between the Devils and New York Rangers, and between the Rangers and New York Islanders, last January, and since MetLife Stadium was prepping for the Super Bowl that week, a hockey game there would have been a logistics nightmare.

Bettman made it clear that the annual event will be held around the country before returning to the New York-New Jersey metropolitan area in the near future.

"Every city, every club wants one," Bettman said at a National Press Club luncheon in Washington, where the 2015 Winter Classic will be played Jan. 1 at Nationals Park. "We're going to move things around before going back."

Because there are three New York-area hockey teams, the NHL had to hold two outdoor games last January so no one would be left out, Bettman said.

"Playing in New York and New Jersey is a unique situation,'' he said. "We have a lot of other teams and a lot of other stadiums who want a game before we can come back."

No way Commish, Devils fans do feel left out.

Red Wing fan's photobomb fails miserably during live newscast (VIDEO)

A Detroit Red Wings fan on his way to the Alumni Showdown hockey game during the Winter Festival at Comerica Park ended up hitting the ice himself when he tried photobombing a live news broadcast and wiped out.

As WJBK reporter Jennifer Hammond urged viewers to come down to the see the former-Detroit stars face the old Toronto Maple Leafs greats, a guy in a Red Wings jersey leaped behind her and flailed his arms before tumbling down — all on live TV.

He was acting a fool.

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Harlem Globetrotters to play own 'Winter Classic' on ice

The Harlem Globetrotters' brand of basketball has always been first and foremost about giving to good causes.  Now, with hockey-less fans feeling blue about the NHL lockout and the cancellation of the Winter Classic on New Year's Day, the world famous basketball team will do a little something to help fill the void.

The high-flying basketball team will be strapping on custom-made cleats for a Jan. 7 basketball game against the Global Select (formally perennial losers the Washington Generals) and play a game on ice.

The Globetrotters own classic game will be played outdoors at Millennium Park in the western Michigan city of Portage, near Kalamazoo.



Admission to the game will be free.  The Globetrotters will play on a conventional court the next day at Wings Stadium in Kalamazoo.

Detroit Red Wings alumnus and Michigan native Kevin Miller will join the Globetrotters and bring a little NHL flair to the ice.

While slam-dunking a basketball on a frozen surface sounds a little dangerous, it wouldn't be the the oddest place the Globetrotters have played.  The team has performed in front of crowds on rooftops, beaches and even the Vatican.

Two years ago the team donned their "ice cleats" for a outdoors game in a rink in Central Park — right next to their namesake Harlem neighborhood.

Rangers Plan To Honor N.J. Cop Beaten After Flyers Hockey Game

The New York Rangers plan to honor the police officer who was beaten by thugs outside a popular Philadelphia restaurant following last week's NHL Winter Classic.

The New York Post reports that Woodbridge, N.J. police officer and Iraq war veteran Neal Auricchio will be the guest of honor at the Rangers Feb. 27 game against the New Jersey Devils.

The Rangers head coach John Tortorella called the recovering Auricchio and asked him to be his personal guest.

While waiting in line outside Geno's Steak House after the game, Auricchio and a friend were attacked, apparently because they were wearing New York Rangers jerseys.  The Rangers won the game, 3-2.

Police released video footage of several men wearing Philadelphia Flyers jerseys sucker-punching one victim— knocking him to the ground and beating him— and then attacking Auricchio, the second victim.

A man boasted about the brawl on a Facebook blog and was questioned by police.

No arrests have been made in the attack.

Auricchio is still nursing a concussion but was more than happy to accept the red carpet invitation to Madison Square Garden.

"It absolutely lifted his spirits," said wife Maria Auricchio.  "He's, and we're all, such big Rangers fans.  It was great to get [Tortorella's call]."