PITTSBURGH - My knee-jerk reaction on outdoor hockey games: Enough already. The NHL has taken away the uniqueness of the games by playing too many of these made-for-TV events each season.
That was the cynic in me.
But after talking to players and fans leading up to Saturday night's Stadium Series matchup between the Flyers and Pittsburgh Penguins at windy Heinz Field, my tune has changed.
The players love them, and never get tired of playing in the great outdoors and going back to their innocent days as kids.
Three years ago, there were six outdoor games.