Philadelphia Flyers To Host New York Rangers In 2012 Winter Classic, According To Report

Outdoor hockey is reportedly coming to Philadelphia as the 2012 NHL Winter Classic rolls into town. The Philadelphia Flyers and New York Rangers are expected to take the ice at Citizens Bank Park in front of upwards of 40,000 raucous hockey fans. The Winter Class is the NHL's premier non-Stanley Cup event and is the cornerstone of a week of outdoor hockey in the host city.

According to a report from the South Jersey Courier-Post, plans to play at Lincoln Financial Field were scratched due to the Philadelphia Eagles regular season finale, but the home of the Phillies is open.

The NHL was hoping to have the Flyers face the Rangers at 68,532-seat Lincoln Financial Field on Jan.‚1, but the Eagles are hosting the Washington Redskins at 1 p.m. that day in their regular-season finale.

According to an NHL source, Phillies president David Montgomery has given the league permission to construct a hockey rink on the infield of Citizens Bank Park, which seats 43,500 fans.

Additionally, the 24/7 series following the buildup to the event is also expected to make a return for the 2012 Winter Classic. This would be the Flyers second Winter Classic appearance and the Rangers' first. New York was the final Big Six team to have not participated in the event.

For more on the Winter Classic and the teams reportedly involved, head over to SB Nation Philly and Broad Street Hockey for Flyers news or SB Nation New York and Blueshirt Banter for Rangers news.