The Toronto Maple Leafs and Buffalo Sabres have a date and time set for an outdoor match – 3 p.m. on March 13, 2022. The Sabres will be the first U.S.-based team to participate in the Tim Hortons Heritage Classic. The nationally televised gamed will be aired on TNT in the U.S. and on Sportsnet for Canadian viewers.
It's official: The Buffalo Sabres and Toronto Maple Leafs will play outdoors at 3 p.m. March 13 at Tim Hortons Field in Hamilton, Ontario.
"It will be an incredible atmosphere and we are thrilled to be able to play the Maple Leafs in this special event" – Sabres GM Kevyn Adams pic.twitter.com/sGgk8wT9o4
— John Vogl (@BuffaloVogl) September 16, 2021
Heritage Classic On March 13th
For the Sabres, this is their third outdoor game in franchise history. After hosting the initial Winter Classic in 2008 and facing the New York Rangers outside in 2018, the team is looking to take a win from the Leafs. They lost the 2018 Winter Classic in an overtime thriller to the Rangers, after JT Miller buried the game-winning goal. The Leafs are 2-1 in all outdoor games and look to put another win in that column on March 13.
This is the first time an American team will be featured in the Heritage Classic, as it is usually an honour of the Canadian impact on the sport. However, commissioner Gary Bettman feels this long-standing rivalry is enough to draw in viewers from both the U.S. and Canada.
In addition, the other outdoor games are scheduled for the near future. The 2022 Winter Classic will feature the St. Louis Blues taking on the Minnesota Wild at Target Field in Minneapolis. The Stadium Series, hosted on February 26, 2022, will showcase the Tampa Bay Lightning and Nashville Predators. Finally, the Carolina Hurricanes awaiting their opponent in the 2023 Stadium Series, hosted in Raleigh.
For all of these outdoor games, it is an incredible atmosphere. The large stadiums and entrances make each game special and entertaining to watch, regardless of the skill levels of the teams. For the 2022 Heritage Classic, it will absolutely be no different and will be a treat to watch both teams duel it out outside in a large stadium.
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