|
 Brouwer, who won a Stanley Cup with the Blackhawks, provided a
few more New Year's Day fireworks in the U.S. capital when he spun
quickly and blasted a shot past the out-stretched glove of Chicago
netminder Corey Crawford at Nationals Park.
"Probably the most dramatic goal I've scored," said Brouwer. "Just
the time, the event here ... the Winter Classic ... and the fact it
was against my former team.
"They (Chicago) were able to come back and tie the game up but the
guys were pretty resilient working hard, able to draw a powerplay
and ultimately win the game on a PP goal."
After last year's Winter Classic attracted a record NHL crowd of
more than 105,000 at Michigan Stadium, Thursday's game was played in
front of a quainter crowd of 42,382 at the home of Major League
Baseball's Washington Nationals.
 The puck was dropped under brilliant blue skies and the Capitals
made an equally bright start with Eric Fehr, who scored twice in the
Capitals' 3-1 win over the Pittsburgh Penguins at the 2011 Winter
Classic, and Alex Ovechkin putting them up 2-0.
Before the end of the period, Patrick Sharp would answer for Chicago
while Brandon Saad had the only goal of second to leave the contest
deadlocked at 2-2 going into the final frame.
In just seven years the outdoor game that started as nothing more
than a one-off novelty has grown into the league's marketing center
piece, a New Year's Day showcase that has become the NHL's signature
event.
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A concept that has captured the imagination of casual hockey fans,
the Winter Classic has an appeal that lies in the game's outdoor
roots, anchored by romantic nostalgia and wintery charm.
The New Year's Day Classic, however, has grown well beyond its
initial sentimental appeal into big business, and a cash cow for the
league, teams and the cities that have played host.
The first regular-season outdoor game took place in 2003, when the
Montreal Canadiens faced off against the Edmonton Oilers at
Commonwealth Stadium while the first Winter Classic was staged in
2008 at Ralph Wilson Stadium in Buffalo.
Since 2003, there have been 13 regular-season outdoor games, seven
of them played at football venues and six at baseball stadiums.
(Reporting by Steve Keating in Toronto; Editing by Mark
Lamport-Stokes)
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