An outdoor ice hockey game is traditionally associated with a snowy setting where frigid temperatures allow the ice to form. But on Jan. 2, the National Hockey League will play its annual outdoor game, the “Winter Classic,” in Miami.
The defending Stanley Cup champions, the Florida Panthers, will host the New York Rangers at LoanDepot Park, which is normally the home of the Miami Marlins baseball team.
Work on the rink continues, and both teams were scheduled to hold their practice there on Jan. 1.
It has not snowed in Miami since 1977, and while the entire Sunshine State was hit with a cold snap in the days leading up to the game, temperatures remain in the 60s….