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A record-breaking Winter Classic: Zibanejad's first hat-trick... and 'snow' in Miami

The New York Rangers defeated the Florida Panthers in the NHL's southernmost outdoor game, in which Mika Zibanejad made history with three goals, something unprecedented

A record-breaking Winter Classic: Zibanejad's first hat-trick... and 'snow' in Miami
  • B. FLEITAS
  • PATRICK SPENCER

It snowed in Miami. The New York Rangers defeated the Florida Panthers, 5-1, in the Winter Classic, which this year broke records. The traditional game was played at loanDepot Park in Miami (the Marlins' baseball stadium) in an unprecedented challenge that made it the southernmost outdoor game ever played in the league.

Thus, after huge logistics to keep the ice rink cold (600 tons of mobile refrigeration were used to counteract the almost 20 degrees of ambient temperature), the retractable roof of the stadium was opened, some artificial snowflakes fell and that gave way to the match in which Mika Zibanejad of the Rangers also made history.

A record-breaking Winter Classic: Zibanejad's first hat-trick... and 'snow' in Miami
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The Swedish player, who had been called up by his country for the upcoming Winter Olympic Games in Milan-Cortina, scored the first hat-trick in the history of the Winter Classic, which was attended by 36,153 spectators.

A record-breaking Winter Classic: Zibanejad's first hat-trick... and 'snow' in Miami

The Rangers have a historic 6-0-0 record in outdoor games and also lead the NHL in road wins this season (15-8-2).

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