It's Finally Confirmed: Rangers and Flyers Playing in the Winter Classic

Ever since the schedule for the 2011-2012 season was released, and people noticed that the Rangers and Flyers were scheduled to play on January 2nd, the speculation that this match was the Winter Classic for this season swirled. A little while after, the fans kind of realized that it was going to be and just waited for the league to officially confirm it. Now, that time has come, and the Rangers and Flyers are set to square off on a national outdoor stage in one of the greatest hockey traditions that's ever been thought of.

The game was announced at Citizens Bank Park, the home of the Philadelphia Phillies, by members of the Flyers organization, along with Glen Sather, who did his share of trash-talking, claiming that the Rangers will win on January 2nd, and that the Yankees will also win their title, more than likely at the Phillies' expense. Both of these claims were greeted with gallant boos from the crowd, which Sather just used as fuel to get people excited for the game.

The game itself is very exciting because of both of the circumstances of both the Rangers and Flyers. The Rangers are a settled group now. It seems like everyone on the roster has formed into this identity of a real "blue collar" hockey team, and they are finally gaining traction in the Eastern conference. The Flyers however, are an entirely different team. After trading away ex-captain Mike Richards and noted goal-scorer Jeff Carter to make room for their new addition, Ilya Bryzgalov in goal, along with the signing of  Jaromir Jagr on his return to the NHL, this team is completely retooled from the team that they had in the Stanley Cup Finals two years ago. These two teams fought hard in their games that they played each other in last year, so it will be interesting to see how they play with the added incentive of this prestigious event.

Along with that, the main question that is now on everyone's mind is "is there going to be a Rangers/Flyers 24/7"? And the answer is yes, the Rangers and Flyers will be followed around by HBO and filmed behind the scenes to show the fans of both teams what these teams are like in all of their uncensored glory. Which means be prepared for a lot of F-bombs. Seriously, you don't stick a camera around John Tortorella, Sean Avery and Chris Pronger and expect Shakespearean dialogue, do you?

But regardless, this is exciting for both franchises, and it will make this season all the more eventful. Fans who are interested in buying tickets should look now, because they will not be here for long!