The 2019 Tim Hortons NHL Heritage Classic Will Be the Second Regular-Season Outdoor Game for Both the Flames and Jets
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The 2019 Tim Hortons NHL Heritage Classic will be the second regular-season outdoor game for both the Flames and Jets. This stats pack includes current storylines and notes from their prior outdoor games. The 2019 Tim Hortons NHL Heritage Classic Interactive Information Guide is available for registered users on the League’s media site. Winnipeg Jets * This will be the second regular-season outdoor game in Jets history and second straight appearance in the Heritage Classic series (3-0 L vs. EDM in 2016). * Patrik Laine is no stranger to shining at NHL events. Although he was held of the score sheet as a rookie at the 2016 Heritage Classic, he scored four goals across two games in his native Finland at the 2018 NHL Global Series – including a hat trick in the opener of the two-game international series. * Laine leads the Jets in assists this season (3-9—12 in 11 GP). He has never had more assists than goals in any of his previous three NHL campaigns. * Laine sits four points shy of 200 for his career (113-83—196 in 248 GP). Only three players in franchise history have required fewer than 300 appearances to record their first 200 career points: Ilya Kovalchuk (222 GP), Mark Scheifele (283 GP) and Nikolaj Ehlers (299 GP). * Current Jets forward Mark Letestu scored the game-winning goal for Edmonton in their 3-0 win over Winnipeg at the 2016 Heritage Classic. * Letestu (PIT 2011, EDM 2016), Mathieu Perreault (WSH 2011, EDM 2016) and Blake Wheeler (BOS 2010, WPG 2016) are the only members of the Jets to play in multiple outdoor games heading into the 2019 Heritage Classic. Perreault’s Capitals defeated Letestu’s Penguins 3-1 at the 2011 Winter Classic at Heinz Field in Pittsburgh. * Ville Heinola can become just the third 18-year-old to play in a regular-season outdoor game (12th teenager). Olli Maatta (2014 SS w/ PIT) and Morgan Rielly (2014 WC w/ TOR) are the only teenage defensemen to suit up in a regular-season outdoor game. Calgary Flames * Miikka Kiprusoff posted a 39-save shutout against the Canadiens in the 2011 Heritage Classic, Calgary’s only other appearance outdoors. It was the first of four shutouts in any NHL regular-season outdoor game – two of those have come in a Heritage Classic and three have been achieved in all- Canadian matchups. * Playing with Edmonton in the 2016 Heritage Classic, current Flames goaltender Cam Talbot shut out the Jets in Winnipeg’s only prior outdoor appearance. * The Flames fired 19 shots on goal in the first period of the 2011 Heritage Classic before surrendering 21 shots against in the second period. Only one other period in an outdoor game has featured at least 19 shots by one team (LAK: 20 in 1st period of 2014 Stadium Series). * Overall, the Flames and Canadiens combined for 76 shots on goal in the 2011 Heritage Classic, second-most ever in an outdoor game (80 in both the 2009 Winter Classic and 2019 Stadium Series). * Rene Bourque scored twice in the 2011 Heritage Classic, one of 13 multi-goal performances ever in an NHL regular-season outdoor game (there has never been a hat trick). * Eight players who skated in the 2011 Heritage Classic remain in the NHL, including current Flames Mark Giordano and Mikael Backlund. The others: Jay Bouwmeester (STL), Lars Eller (WSH), Max Pacioretty (VGK), Carey Price (MTL), P.K. Subban (NJD) and Yannick Weber (NSH). * Johnny Gaudreau sits four points shy of 400 in his NHL career (136-260—396 in 406 GP). Four players have recorded their first 400 NHL points with the Flames franchise in fewer than 415 regular- season games. * Matthew Tkachuk will become the first member of his family to skate in an NHL regular-season game outdoors. Only four of the previous 27 outdoor games had been played when his father, Keith Tkachuk, retired in 2009-10. His brother, Brady Tkachuk, had recently celebrated his fourth birthday when the first- ever NHL regular-season outdoor game was played Nov. 22, 2003. * This will be the seventh regular-season NHL game played in the province of Saskatchewan (indoors or outdoors) and third featuring a member of the Tkachuk family. Keith played in the second and third such games as a rookie with the original Jets in 1992-93, both in Saskatoon, scoring in each (2-1—3 in 2 GP). * The first-ever regular-season NHL game in Saskatchewan featured the Flames as well as five current members of the Hockey Hall of Fame (Al MacInnis, Joe Nieuwendyk, Sergei Makarov, Mike Modano & Bob Gainey). .