TORONTO – Wind could be a factor in Sunday’s Centennial Classic.
A significant one, according to Toronto Maple Leafs alumnus Tie Domi, whose side lost 4-3 to the wind-aided Detroit Red Wings in Saturday’s alumni contest.
"We were supposed to be the home team, and we were against the wind twice. I tell ya, they better switch the benches for tomorrow," Domi told Sportsnet post-game. "The wind’s an advantage."
Domi wasn’t joking. Darcy Tucker, sitting a couple stalls down, chirped in his agreement.
Borje Salming said the weather didn’t bother him once he got moving, but Tiger Williams was surprised by the wind’s power at field level.
"I was doing an interview and I couldn’t even talk because the wind was blowing down my throat," Williams explained.
The direction and strength of the southwest winds whipping off Lake Ontario and across the Exhibition Place rink are predicted to be comparable for Sunday’s regular-season game between Leafs and Wings’ current rosters. The Weather Network is projecting a 19 km/h breeze with gusts up to 29 km/h.
In past outdoor games, such as the sunny showdown in Washington, D.C., in 2015, the NHL has leavened the competition by having the teams switch sides midway through the second period.
"It’s outdoors. You never know what to expect with the weather and the ice. Typically, these are more muck-and-grind kind of games," Leafs rookie Auston Matthews reasoned.
"The main message from guys who’ve played in these kinds of games before is: Keep it simple."
And hope the wind’s at your back when you need a boost.
