BOSTON -- There's no shortage of Boston connections for the Penguins as they gear up for the 2023 Winter Classic against the Bruins here at Fenway Park on Monday.
Brian Dumoulin spent three seasons playing hockey at Boston College. In fact, he had the privilege of playing in two separate outdoor games at Fenway Park over those three seasons. Even before that, Dumoulin grew up just an hour and a half outside of Boston in Biddeford, Me., where he helped the local high school team win back-to-back state championships.
Although he grew up in San Diego, Ca., Chad Ruhwedel went coast-to-coast for college to attend the University of Massachusetts Lowell, where he spent three seasons playing hockey.
Casey DeSmith played hockey at the University of New Hampshire for three seasons and even made a career-high (at the time) 50 saves against Boston University in the Hockey East quarterfinals in 2012.
After playing a season for the Boston Jr. Bruins, Drew O'Connor then played hockey for two seasons at Dartmouth College in Hanover, N.H., before eventually making his NHL debut against the Bruins several years later.
Danton Heinen spent nearly four full seasons as a member of the Bruins.
Then there's Mike Sullivan, who is as Boston as it gets.
"This one here, for me, might top them all," Sullivan would say of this year's Winter Classic following Penguins practice at Fenway Park on Sunday.
Sullivan, a native of Marshfield, Ma., grew up in a sports-centric family that undeniably put him on the path that he's trekked to this point.
"This one has a personal level for me, just growing up in this area and being a Red Sox fan," Sullivan went on to say.
But it's so much more than simply being from the area and being a Red Sox fan.
PENGUINS
Madison Nikkel, Ty Hennes, Mike Vellucci, Mike Sullivan, Todd Reirden, Andy Chiodo and CJ D’Alimonte on the ice before practice on Sunday at Fenway Park in Boston.
"All I can tell you is, baseball in my family has always been a passion of my whole family, whether it be my brothers or my dad," Sullivan said. "We obviously got it from my dad. I don’t know that there was a bigger Red Sox fan than him, and maybe one of my uncles. We grew up just idolizing the Red Sox. We had the privilege, usually, to go to one game a year when we were kids, in Fenway. I remember those events like they were yesterday.
"I still get chills when I walk into Fenway Park when I take my kids now, to this day. It’s just a really unique place, and for someone like myself that’s grown up in this area and can appreciate this type of a stadium and being a Red Sox fan, it has extra meaning to me, personally."
Sullivan played hockey at Boston University for four seasons prior to the start of his 11-year NHL career, one season of which he spent as a member of the Bruins. In 2003, very shortly after his playing career ended, he became head coach of the Bruins until he was fired during the offseason leading up to the 2006-07 season.
For someone from the area to go on and do that? Well, like I said, Sullivan's as Boston as it gets.
"It’s interesting, because I think sports has a unique ability to bring people together and families together, and they rally around their respective teams," Sullivan said. "You live and die with your teams. This, for me, is a culmination of that with baseball and hockey, two of the loves in my family’s life, and to be able to experience this at Fenway Park is something special."
Sullivan knows that it will be business as usual with an important two standings points on the line when the puck drops on Monday, but he'll be sure to appreciate the event and experience that, in a way, will bring him full circle once again.
"I think they’re great experiences for everyone," Sullivan said. "I know the players, the coaches, everyone from our hockey ops standpoint, we always look forward to these events. They’re unique experiences. In a lot of ways, it brings you back to your childhood days when you’re playing outside on a pond."
