Frozen Confines: Wrigley Field to host Big Ten men’s, women’s hockey games
Wrigley Field will host a series of Big Ten men’s and women’s hockey games in early January, the conference and the Cubs announced Thursday.
Penn State will take on Notre Dame, and Ohio State battles Michigan on Jan. 3. The following day, Michigan State will face off against Wisconsin.
On the women’s side, Ohio State and Wisconsin will clash in a battle of titans on Jan. 4, with the two teams having won the past five NCAA Championships.
“What’s most important about this from the perspective of the Big Ten is that we want to continue to bring unique and memorable experiences to our student athletes,” said Big Ten Commissioner Tony Petitti. “That’s what this is about.”
“We’re committed to continuing to do that and it’s really important, I feel, to bring the women’s game here,” Petitti said. “It’s a big part of the event for us.”
Chris Chelios, a former Blackhawk and a Wisconsin alumnus, played at Wrigley Field in the 2009 Winter Classic as a member of the Detroit Red Wings.
“People come from all over the country, all over the world to see the setting of Wrigley Field and the beauty of it. It’s special,” Chelios said. “There’s no other venue in the world like it.”
Wrigley Field will host the Blackhawks when the St. Louis Blues come to town for the second NHL Winter Classic at Wrigley Field on Dec. 31.
The Hawks have seven players in their system from the Big Ten, according to Jamie Faulkner, the Blackhawks president of business operations.
Chelios was one of many Blackhawks who played in the Big Ten. Duncan Keith, an alternate captain on Stanely Cup teams in 2011, 2013 and 2015, attended Michigan State.
“The announcement of these games helps even continue to put a spotlight on a game (the Blackhawks) are heavily invested in, and certainly love, in the city that we love here in Chicago,” Faulkner said. “The Blackhawks are very interested in growing the game at all levels, and being able to spotlight college hockey is really important because it allows even the youngest players and our fans to understand the opportunity that they have, the level of talent that sits at college hockey, and the impact that is had at the highest level of the sport, the National Hockey League.”
After 92,000 saw Nebraska volleyball play inside Memorial Stadium and over 55,000 saw Caitlin Clark and Iowa play at Kinnick Stadium, these games represent yet another historic event for the Big Ten.
“The students, the women, now get the opportunity to do the same thing as the men,” Chelios said. “That’s incredible, especially when you have daughters that play sports.”
“(I’m) looking forward to a big weekend, watching Wisconsin win the whole thing, both men’s and women’s,” he added. “So go Badgers.”
Game times are set for 4 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. Jan. 3 and for 4:30 p.m. and 8 p.m. Jan. 4 on Big Ten Network.