NBC Sports will present broadcast coverage of the NHL Winter Classic 2009 between the Detroit Red Wings and Chicago Blackhawks, New Year's Day beginning at 1 p.m. ET from historic Wrigley Field in Chicago. This marks the second outdoor NHL game played in the United States; last year's inaugural event was the most-viewed NHL regular season game in more than a decade.

Bob Costas will host NBC's coverage from Buffalo, joined by Mike "Doc" Emrick (play-by-play), Eddie Olczyk (analyst), Mike Milbury (studio analyst), Pierre McGuire (inside-the-glass reporter) and Darren Pang (inside-the glass-reporter).

Costas on last year's Classic: "It really was fun last year, no question about it. It would have been fun just because of the atmosphere with that whole snow globe look on television and then the game goes to overtime and Sidney Crosby ends up winning it. You couldn't ask for anything more perfect than that."

Costas on the buzz factor: "The rating is one thing, and that is measurable and a very, very good number for hockey, but buzz is a different thing. And for the week after that, everywhere I went it seemed people were remarking about the game. How different it seemed, and how it kind of jumped out from the sports landscape. Wrigley Field gives us a setting and a chance to do some historical stuff there, which is pretty much my job — not to be a hockey expert but to set the scene."

Milbury on the Original Six matchup: "The Chicago Blackhawks have a great group of young players and have created the kind of buzz about hockey in Chicago that hasn't been there for more than a decade, against the defending Stanley Cup champions, who are always entertaining and always fun to watch. Not only is the setting great, but the two teams couldn't be better. It's two Original Six franchises that have a long tradition of a fierce rivalry and should be a tremendous hockey game as well as a tremendous event."

Chicago native Olczyk on being part of the event: "Being a Chicago native my whole life and growing up a diehard Cubs fan, to be a part of this on New Year's Day is going to be one of those moments in my lifetime that will be very special. The buzz has been at a fever pitch since the announcement. With the way the team has played and transformed over the last year, going up against the template in any sports franchise in the Detroit Red Wings. To be able to be at the game at Wrigley Field...I'm so envious and jealous of the guys that get that opportunity to play in that game in arguably the greatest sports venue there has ever been."

Olczyk on the excitement in Chicago: "The people of Chicago are really, really excited. It's such a small venue and people are going to be right on top of the rink. If you can't get there, you better be watching on television. This event could be the toughest ticket ever for a regular season event when it comes to sports in the city of Chicago. That's saying a whole heck of a lot when it comes to some of the teams and games that they've had in that city."

McGuire on broadcasting the outdoor game for the first time: "While I didn't have the privilege of working on the crew last year, I'm unbelievably excited to have a chance and the opportunity to work with the crew this year, especially in Eddie Olczyk's hometown in Chicago in Wrigley field which is an unbelievable place."

Producer Sam Flood on production elements: "The most important 'cool tool' we have is the airplane again — you never see a hockey game from that perspective. But this isn't about toys; it's about the event. We have a ton of cameras, we have cameras everywhere from high up in the right field bleachers to a camera in the scoreboard to rink level cameras to a roving camera that can go to some of the great parties on the roof tops across the street. We're covered everywhere. We're going to blanket this thing with camera work. This is a game you want to shoot wide so you see the whole spectacle."

Olczyk on what this game means for the Blackhawks franchise: "I think it helps reestablish and reconnect with the strong fan base that has been there, and then reaching out to hundreds of thousands of people who maybe have never seen a game before to let them know the team has moved up the sports totem pole in the city of Chicago."

Most viewed game in more than a decade: Last year's Winter Classic, broadcast, New Year's Day on NBC, drew 3.7 million viewers making it the most viewed NHL regular season game in more than a decade (Jan. 27, 1996 on Fox, regional broadcast, 3.8 million). The Pittsburgh Penguins defeated the Buffalo Sabres 2-1 in the first U.S. outdoor game in NHL history with Sidney Crosby scoring the game-winning goal in a shootout.

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