The sight lines from many seats were lousy and the tickets expensive, but that didn’t stop tens of thousands of hockey fans from descending on the city’s outdoor professional baseball stadium Thursday for what has become the National Hockey League’s marquee regular season event.
The allure of the outdoor Winter Classic was enough to attract even a throng ticketless fans who scoured the sidewalks surrounding the stadium ahead of the game seeking out scalpers with extras to sell.
David Pearl-Schwartz and friend Lauren Zimmerman stood in line for entry into the Bullpen, a favorite pre-gaming spot for Washington Nationals fans in the summer months, about an hour before the start of the game hoping the new year would bring them luck in the form of tickets to the game.
Mr. Pearl-Schwartz said the Winter Classic caught his eye in 2011, when watched the event on television and rooted for the Washington Capitals as they took on the Pittsburgh Penguins.
“It looked like such a great event and one I would want to go to if I ever got the chance,” the 21-year-old Bethesda native said.
But even if luck wasn’t on their side and no tickets could be found, the two were excited to be at the center of the action.
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“We just wanted to come out and be surrounded by a ton of Caps fans,” Mr. Pearl-Schwartz said.
Zach Cheema, of Olney, found himself in a similar situation.
Standing just outside the Navy Yard Metro station he held two fingers aloft in the air and watched the streams of people bedecked in wool Capitals scarfs and hats pass by.
“Two tickets?” he asked as fans made their way past him to Nationals Park.
“We weren’t planning to come until this morning when we thought there might be a lot of people selling,” the 21-year-old said of he and a friend. “If we don’t get any, I might head to the Greene Turtle to watch the game.”
Since it began in 2008, the Winter Classic has most often been played in reliably chilly Northeast cities that have averaged a temperature of 34.7 degrees at the time of puck drop. The game has been played through snow and delayed because of rain, but Thursday’s 44-degree game-time temperatures were consistent with D.C. averages for New Year’s Day, meaning the biggest concern among organizers was the glare from a strong, bright sun. Initially the glare threatened to postpone the game, but the event was able to start on time, opening first with a short performance by singer Billy Idol.
The event, which drew a high of 105,000 spectators when it was played in the Michigan Stadium college football venue last year and a low of 38,000 in Boston’s much smaller Fenway Park in 2010, drew a capacity crowd of 42,832.
A smattering of tickets were advertised on the StubHub ticket-selling service Wednesday, a day before the game, with asking prices ranging in the $200-$300 range. By comparison, tickets for a Jan. 10 game at Verizon Center against the Colorado Avalanche were running less than $30 a seat.
Those who secured tickets early were excited to see the layout of the stadium and to be part of the cheering crowds.
For David Bertz, the game against the Chicago Blackhawks was an especially exciting match up.
“I grew up in Chicago playing hockey, but I’m converted now,” said Mr. Bertz, who now holds season tickets for the Capitals. “My family in Chicago has a lot of money at stake and loves to talk trash. We’ll be texting back and forth during the game.”
Mr. Bertz, of Bethesda, was also excited to see how the baseball stadium looked after it was transformed into a hockey rink. He noted that his typical season ticket seats for the Nationals look like they “are miles away” from the action.
Despite the fact she ended up in standing room only seats, Amy Bryant of Alexandria said the event was worth every penny.
“It’s freezing, but it’s awesome,” said Ms. Bryant, 30, who purchased last minute tickets on StubHub for $235.
Ms. Bryant scoured online sales looking for the cheapest tickets available, watching prices drop to $190 before climbing to more than $300 in the hours before the event. After spending the morning at the Bullpen getting autographs from players, she and her husband watched the game from the standing room only section with large mugs of hot chocolate.
“The last time we were here was a no-hitter and now we start the year off with this,” said Ms. Bryant, referring to the Nationals stint in the playoffs. “This is just such a cool atmosphere to be around.”
• Andrea Noble can be reached at anoble@washingtontimes.com.
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