Confirmed with Link: Habs - Bruins 2016 Winter Classic at Gillette Stadium (Alumni Rosters announced)

[Fenway]

You're awesome, Fenway. Thanks for being so friendly to us!

I love the city of Montreal and I relish my memories of going to games at the Forum and later Centre Bell. I have never had a single problem rooting for the Bruins in Montreal. The only problem I ever had there when was when Team USA won the World Cup at the then Centre Molson in 1996.

The greatest bar brawl I have seen with my own eyes happened at the long gone Old Munich Beer Hall in Montreal after a Bruins game BUT it was 2 rival gangs from Boston (South Boston and Charlestown) fighting.

I have paid my dues - I was in the Forum for the 'too many men' game in 1979.

The only thing I hate about Quebec is

This road was supposed to have been built to the Vermont border in 1967.... we still waiting

 

[Dog]

Ordered a Pacioretty winter classic jersey, I don't have it in hand as it was shipped to my brothers place.

However he said it looks great, even said his roommate (Leafs fan) said it's a great looking jersey.

 

[JLP]

So on New Year's Eve we'll see Bouillon back in a Habs uniform

 

[Coby]

anyone grab a jersey yet?

If only I could afford one! I settled for the Winter Classic tuque as a result, hopefully it should be here next week.

 

[GoHabsGo76]

I want to order a WC jersey with Pacioretty on back, but has anyone found a place selling them with the C on it? I'm a little confused as to why I haven't seen one.

 

[Dog]

I want to order a WC jersey with Pacioretty on back, but has anyone found a place selling them with the C on it? I'm a little confused as to why I haven't seen one.

Check out coolhockey

Can get the C, the winter classic patch and everything.

 

[Fenway]

If you are coming to the game in Foxborough and plan to drink keep in mind the following.

Massachusetts drinking age is 21

Make sure you bring a passport as the Quebec driver's license WILL NOT BE ACCEPTED because it is only in French.

They card EVERYBODY.

Year ago the Patriots were hit with a one game suspension for underage liquor sales so they are very strict.

 

[beaverBFP]

If only I could afford one! I settled for the Winter Classic tuque as a result, hopefully it should be here next week.

Girlfriend surprised me last night with the same toque! She's a keeper :p

 

[Alicat]

We have a thread going for the Winter Classic that has a mix of info that Fenway just posted and other stuff people might be interested in.

Also note that Gillette has a clear bag policy that is strictly enforced. That info is in the thread too.

http://hfboards.mandatory.com/showthread.php?t=1995321

Can't wait for the game!!

 

[Runner77]

If you are coming to the game in Foxborough and plan to drink keep in mind the following.

Massachusetts drinking age is 21

Make sure you bring a passport as the Quebec driver's license WILL NOT BE ACCEPTED because it is only in French.

They card EVERYBODY.

Year ago the Patriots were hit with a one game suspension for underage liquor sales so they are very strict.

Great advice, thanks for providing it. I have a family member who is a Bruin fan and who is attending the Classic ... I'm debating whether I should be telling him.

 

[Fenway]

We have a thread going for the Winter Classic that has a mix of info that Fenway just posted and other stuff people might be interested in.

Also note that Gillette has a clear bag policy that is strictly enforced. That info is in the thread too.

http://hfboards.mandatory.com/showthread.php?t=1995321

Can't wait for the game!!

It is going to be fun and the stadium could well be evenly split between B's and Habs fans. Foxborough has always been a pain to drive to as 45 years later they still haven't built the access road off Interstate 95 and instead funnel the traffic to US-1.

Transit is limited to the one train from Boston and one from Providence.

Hopefully there will be little trouble but both fanbases have a lunatic fringe that could incite a situation.

I love the City of Montreal and the Expos were my National League team. I hope I see the day when 'Nos Amours' live and I hear this song played again.



I also understand why the Bruins became the Habs #1 rival over Toronto and while competition was part of it the bigger factor was television and a small UHF station in Burlington, Vermont paved the way.

40 years ago anyone with cable TV in Montreal could expect a good percentage of Wednesday and Saturday Habs home games to be televised but very few road games until the playoffs. However TV22 from Burlington, Vermont beamed every Bruins game home and away to Montreal cable. The Bruins were on TV more in Quebec than the Habs and WHA Nords combined and they picked up fans.

TV22 in Burlington was simply acting as a relay of TV38 in Boston. Somebody at TV38 back in the 70's understood the need to archive hockey video. A year ago when Jean Beliveau passed, CBC and SRC looked frantically for video of one of Beliveau's greatest games and they discovered the tapes had been erased.

WSBK-TV in Boston archived the game and one of the greatest comebacks in Montreal history is preserved because somebody at the Bruins station didn't erase it.



If you are coming to Boston for the game please feel free to ask me questions.

 

[AllanMTL46]

If you are coming to the game in Foxborough and plan to drink keep in mind the following.

Massachusetts drinking age is 21

Make sure you bring a passport as the Quebec driver's license WILL NOT BE ACCEPTED because it is only in French.

They card EVERYBODY.

Year ago the Patriots were hit with a one game suspension for underage liquor sales so they are very strict.

Damn Massachusetts must be fun....

 

[Alicat]

Damn Massachusetts must be fun....

The whole passport in English thing is universal since we only have 1 National language.

As for the laws in MA, they are slightly archaic aka from 1630 and need some slight revisions..

That said, the Patriots have been sued at least twice and lost both times so they are extremely tight when it comes to alcohol.

Most recently, a group of girls who were under age went tailgating at Countryfest and did not have tickets to the show. They left and later crashed killing 2 of the girls. The parents sued them and settled out of court. They argued that the Patriots were socially responsible for their children's death and it almost went to trial.


If you don't have a ticket to the game they will not let you in the parking lot and they make everyone in the car show their ticket or at least they did the last time I went to a game which was 2 years ago.

Gates open at 9am for the Classic. Be prepared to stay at least an hour after the game because getting out of there is an absolute nightmare.

 

[Lafleurs Guy]

Most recently, a group of girls who were under age went tailgating at Countryfest and did not have tickets to the show. They left and later crashed killing 2 of the girls. The parents sued them and settled out of court. They argued that the Patriots were socially responsible for their children's death and it almost went to trial.

They didn't have tickets, they were underage and drinking... yet the Patriots were somehow "socially responsible?" Brutal.

 

[JLP]

Damn Massachusetts must be fun....

Isn't there a curfew in downtown Boston? Or on the Commons, for U-21 yrs?

 

[Fenway]

Isn't there a curfew in downtown Boston? Or on the Commons, for U-21 yrs?

There was an attempt by the previous Mayor to do that but it was ruled unconstitutional. There laws saying you can not loiter on the Common after 11 but that is aimed at the homeless and druggies.

Ali's description of Countryfest is dead on

http://www.wbur.org/2012/11/20/kraft-gillette-social-host-law

and in the end Kraft settled

http://www.boston.com/2013/11/04/se...rt-gillette/0qmnRzHk3ZDHE46xscuwtK/story.html


Foxborough is a lot better than it was 30 years ago when the town banned Monday Night Football for almost 15 years because of fan violence.

http://www.thesunchronicle.com/news...cle_5848f63e-eb1e-5b57-b21f-72b699035b13.html

One very important thing to remember. The Town of Foxborough demands that if someone is arrested and the persons tickets were season tickets the STH's account would be revoked even if they had sold the tickets to someone else.

The NHL agreed to do the same at the Classic and since most tickets will originate from either a Bruins, Canadiens or Patriots ticket account, the possibility exists that someone from Quebec could lose their Canadiens season ticket privileges at Center Bell because of a problem in Foxborough.

 

[Alicat]

They didn't have tickets, they were underage and drinking... yet the Patriots were somehow "socially responsible?" Brutal.

It's crazy but there was evidence that the parking attendants were not checking each car for ticketed patrons on a regular basis so that's how they were able to proceed with the lawsuit.

 

[Gee Wally]

There was an attempt by the previous Mayor to do that but it was ruled unconstitutional. There laws saying you can not loiter on the Common after 11 but that is aimed at the homeless and druggies.

Ali's description of Countryfest is dead on

http://www.wbur.org/2012/11/20/kraft-gillette-social-host-law

and in the end Kraft settled

http://www.boston.com/2013/11/04/se...rt-gillette/0qmnRzHk3ZDHE46xscuwtK/story.html


Foxborough is a lot better than it was 30 years ago when the town banned Monday Night Football for almost 15 years because of fan violence.

http://www.thesunchronicle.com/news...cle_5848f63e-eb1e-5b57-b21f-72b699035b13.html

One very important thing to remember. The Town of Foxborough demands that if someone is arrested and the persons tickets were season tickets the STH's account would be revoked even if they had sold the tickets to someone else.

The NHL agreed to do the same at the Classic and since most tickets will originate from either a Bruins, Canadiens or Patriots ticket account, the possibility exists that someone from Quebec could lose their Canadiens season ticket privileges at Center Bell because of a problem in Foxborough.

Yeah, the losing of season tickets is very real and has been enforced on a number of occasions in Gillette. Everything is video taped.
Also, Security is pretty restrictive. They dont mess around. The stadium literally has its own jail right there built into it. No need to call local or state police police to cart anyone off site.

 

[Coby]

Girlfriend surprised me last night with the same toque! She's a keeper :p

Definitely a keeper! I'm still waiting for mine to arrive, the NHL store said it would take 5 days to arrive in Spain but I think we're past that now

 

[sharks9]

Road to the Winter Classic starts tomorrow night!

 

[Fenway]

Yeah, the losing of season tickets is very real and has been enforced on a number of occasions in Gillette. Everything is video taped.
Also, Security is pretty restrictive. They dont mess around. The stadium literally has its own jail right there built into it. No need to call local or state police police to cart anyone off site.

The security guru at Gillette, Mark Briggs, is a real life James Bond type.

http://uktiboston.tumblr.com/post/25998193335/one-of-10-children-mark-briggs-was-born-and

Ten years ago Kraft started a private security business and made Briggs chief. He was deeply involved in security at the Olympics in London.

The Patriots have hired approximately 100 members of the the Sûreté du Québec to assist.

In my mind the biggest flash point could be the commuter rail train heading back to Boston after the game. Fans of the losing team will not be in the mood for taunting during an hour long train ride.

 

[HABNIKO]

Bruins are too soft now that it's no longer a rivalry thanks to the new NHL. I guess Bruins vs Habs is far better than the Toronto Maple Laughs. Imagine the Laughs new logo soon to come, maybe a toilet seat! Miss my old time hockey and as for the new team in the NHL they should take up the colour pink.

 

[Brainiac]

I dont think it's so simple to put one in Montreal, unless you want to put it in the big o which kind of defeats the purpose.

Now, I don't live in Montreal, but as far as I know, molson stadium is the largest outdoor permanent site, and its size is comparable to Bell centre.

I assume it would take alot more planning for the habs to make it work, to find an appropriate temporary venue, and everything that comes along with that. Has Montreal ever seriously considered an outdoor event?

Big O is too much of a question mark. They don't open the roof anymore so I can't see it happening there. Molson stadium is too small.

But I'm pretty sure it would be relatively doable (and profitable) to install a temporary venue at a place like the old Blue Bonnets raceway. Near the airport and the highway and plenty of public transit options. Weather is a huge question mark, though. You almost need a backup date for re-scheduling right from the start.

If I'm Molson, I'm pushing really hard on all the levers I got to make it happen. Seriously, they could sell out a 100k stadium with the Habs. Even with a crazy price range like from 125$ all the way up to 500$ or more for front row.

 

[Brainiac]

Are the Bruins that desperate to win the alumni game? Leetch and Iafrate on the team despite playing a combined 73 games for the franchise.

Definitely looks like they're trying to beef up that roster. Dumb move.

I mean, some guys are clearly associated to two franchises, like Patrick Roy. I wouldn't mind him playing for the Habs or Colorado in these games. But Brian Leech and Al Iafrate with the Bruins?

I'd be kinda pissed if we had Gonchar on our roster. He's not really a Habs in our minds.

 

[Lafleurs Guy]

If only I could afford one! I settled for the Winter Classic tuque as a result, hopefully it should be here next week.

Just picked one up today for a secret santa gift. They are hard to find. Sold out everywhere but the store I went to just got a new shipment in.