Pittsburgh’s Heinz Field.
Dave Molinari of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reports today that, contrary to earlier rumors that Washington is leading the pack to host the 2011 NHL Winter Classic, Pittsburgh’s Heinz Field, home to the Pittsburgh Steelers, is “likely” to host the game between the Penguins and the Capitals next January. Though neither the league nor the Penguins will confirm anything at this point, Molinari reports that things are “falling into place” and “the larger seating capacity at Heinz Field” is a major selling point for the league.
On the plus side, it’s looking more likely every day that this years’ Classic will feature a cash-cow matchup between Washington and Pittsburgh — good for Caps fans, who were stunned that the NHL passed on them in favor of Boston and Philadelphia for 2009’s Classic, not so good for fans north of the border who were hoping for a matchup between Canadian franchises. At this point, it’s probably fair to say that Caps fans would be happy to simply play in the game, especially if it meant a chance to embarrass their arch rivals on home ice.
