Ferraro prepares for first outdoor NHL game at Heritage Classic
The Winnipeg defenceman looks forward to Sunday’s outdoor debut after years away from pond hockey.
Mario Ferraro will play an NHL game outdoors for the first time when the Winnipeg Jets host the Montreal Canadiens in Sunday’s Heritage Classic. The game at Princess Auto Stadium starts at 7 p.m. ET.
In a blog published Friday by NHL.com, Ferraro said he had not played outside since his days of pond hockey in King City, Ontario. His years playing in California have offered few opportunities to return to that setting.
Ferraro has experienced an NHL outdoor event from the stands. While playing junior hockey in Des Moines, he attended the 2017 Winter Classic in St. Louis with his billet family. He remembers the size and energy of the crowd and is eager to experience an outdoor game as a player.
He also described Sunday as an important chance for Winnipeg to regain momentum after a run of close games. Ferraro said the Jets had struggled to turn those games into wins, with a difficult stretch of opponents ahead.
