clock menu more-arrow no yes mobile

Filed under:

Ten years ago today, Sidney Crosby won the Inaugural Winter Classic for the Penguins

A decade ago, the Penguins young captain had one of his first big moments on a national stage in Buffalo

By Mike Darnay
NHL Winter Classic: Pittsburgh Penguins v Buffalo Sabres Photo by Dave Sandford/Getty Images

Ten years ago. That’s right. Ten. We’re all getting old quickly. Eat Arby’s. Anyways, back to the important stuff.

It was January 1st, 2008. The Penguins traveled to Buffalo to take on the Sabres in Orchard Park at (formerly named) Ralph Wilson Stadium. It was snowing heavily in front of an at-the-time record 71,000 some people.

NHL Winter Classic: Pittsburgh Penguins v Buffalo Sabres Photo by AJ Messier/NHLI via Getty Images

The Sabres were actually a good team back then.

NHL Winter Classic: Pittsburgh Penguins v Buffalo Sabres Photo by Dave Sandford/Getty Images

Colby Armstrong opened the scoring very early before the Sabres came back to tie it. The game itself was a sloppy and snowy mess, but no one cared. It was new. It was snowing and it was outdoor hockey.

The overtime period came and went and it came down to a shootout, and of course the game came down to being on Sidney Crosby’s stick.

Where did the time go?

More From PensBurgh