Winter Classic fest draws thousands in rain ahead of Blackhawks-Bruins

CHICAGO -- Thousands of fans helped close out the Bridgestone NHL Winter Classic Park fan festival despite cold, rainy conditions at Millennium Park on Monday.

Organizers said 4,700 fans attended the third day of the event leading up to the 2019 Winter Classic between the Chicago Blackhawks and Boston Bruins at Notre Dame Stadium in South Bend, Indiana, about 100 miles away, on Tuesday (1 p.m. ET; NBC, SN, TVAS).
Former Blackhawks goalie and Hockey Hall of Famer Esposito said he was shocked at the number of fans who waited in the rain for his autograph. His line was at least 100 people deep in the rainy, 38-degree weather soon after the event began at noon.
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"I couldn't believe it," he said. "I expected about 20 people here, the die-hards. Instead there's hundreds. I was very fortunate and they're very nice to me, and I try to be nice to them."
David Fudge, 52, of Austin, Texas, waited in line with his son James for Esposito's autograph. Father and son were looking forward to attending the game in South Bend.
"It's just going to be a great experience," David Fudge said. "First time at an outdoor game. We happen to be at-home rivals -- he's a Blackhawks fan and I'm a Bruins fan from way back -- so it's going to be a fun family experience for us."

Esposito, 75, said he expects a varied crowd at Notre Dame Stadium, just like the one at this event, where, he noted, there were fans from Boston and even Europe. "I expect it to be people from all over," he said. "I hope it's a full house, an exciting game and I hope the Blackhawks win."
Former Bruins forward and Hall of Famer Johnny Bucyk signed for fans at the autograph tent following Esposito.
"I just can't believe it," Bucyk said. "I thought maybe you'd have to cancel it (because of rain), but my God, it's a great crowd for this event."

Bucyk's connection with Esposito preceded the fan event Monday; Bucyk played with Tony's older brother Phil in Boston from 1967-1976.
"It was fun playing with Phil, and I loved playing against Tony," said Bucyk, 83. "I had his number, and he'll tell you that. He used to call me Lurch.
"He said, 'I wouldn't see you, then all of a sudden you'd be in front of the net and the puck would be in there.' He used to get so mad at me. They're both good guys. Phil, terrific person and [I] had a good run with him, so we had a lot of fun and we did well."
The two-time Stanley Cup champion (1970, '72) expects that the players are looking forward to the Winter Classic as much as the fans.
"I think they're going to love it," Bucyk said of the annual outdoor game, which was first played in 2008. "I know a lot of young kids with the Bruins are excited about it. It's an opportunity you're not going to get very often is to play in the Winter Classic and play in an outdoor rink. I missed that, I would have loved to have done it. But that didn't start until after I retired (in 1978)."