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Draft:Frozen Confines

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Wrigley Field marquee ahead of the start of play on the second day

Frozen Confines was a series of outdoor college hockey games played at Wrigley Field in Chicago January 3–4, 2025. The event was held in conjunction with the 2025 NHL Winter Classic that had been played at the same stadium days earlier. Three men's games were played between men's programs who play in the Big Ten Conference (Michigan, Michigan State, Notre Dame, Ohio State, Nittany Lions, and Wisconsin). One women's game was played between the Western Collegiate Hockey Association women's programs from two of the participating universities (the Ohio State and Wisconsin women's teams).

Each day of the event was ticketed as a double-header, with ticket holders having admission to both games on a given day.

The two days of the Frozen Confines amassed a cumulative attendance of 50,497.[1]

Background

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Sign in the Wrigleyville neighborhood ahead of the 2009 NHL Winter Classic similarly referring to ice hockey at Wrigley Field as "The Frozen Confines", which is a reference to Wrigley Field's "The Friendly Confines" nickname
Wrigley Field, photographed after the conclusion of the final game
Big Ten Conference inflatable sculpture erected in Gallagher Way outside of Wrigley Field

2025 NHL Winter Classic , past 2009 NHL Winter Classic at Wrigley

The matches were the first college hockey matches to be held at Wrigley Field.[2]

The name of the event is derived from Wrigley Field's nickname, "The Friendly Confines".[3]

Since the Big Ten Conference has an odd-number of men's ice hockey teams (seven), one of the conference's teams (Minnesota) did not participate in the Frozen Confines.

Fenway Park in Boston, the other surviving Major League Baseball jewel box ballpark, has in several different years held similar multi-game college hockey series under the name "Frozen Fenway", with most teams in those series being from the ECAC Hockey and Hockey East. Fenway Park first held such a multi-game series in 2010 (in conjunction with the 2010 NHL Winter Classic at thaw stadium), and most recently held one in 2023 (in conjunction with the 2023 NHL Winter Classic at the stadium). Stand-alone editions of Frozen Fenway (without any partnered NHL event) were held in 2012, 2013/14, and 2017.

Besides the aforementioned 2010 and 2023 Frozen Fenway editions, there had been several earlier instances outdoor college matches being staged in conjunction with professional outdoor hockey matches. In 2011, the Whalers Hockey Fest featuring outdoor collegiate games was held in conjunction with the Whale Bowl (an outdoor AHL professional hockey match) at Rentschler Field (a college football stadium in East Hartford, Connecticut). Similarly, in 2013 Frozen Frontier featured college outdoor hockey games in conjunction with an outdoor AHL game at Frontier Field (a minor league baseball stadium in Rochester, New York). The 2013 Hockeytown Winter Festival held at Comerica Park (a Major League Baseball stadium in Detroit) featured college games, an event which also featured the an outdoor AHL game at the same stadium and which was held in conjunction with the 2014 NHL Winter Classic at Michigan Stadium (Michigan's college football stadium, located in Ann Arbor, Michigan). In January 2015, the Toledo Walleye Winterfest featured an outdoor college hockey match in conjunction with outdoor ECHL professional outdoor matches at Fifth Third Field (a Minor League Baseball stadium in Toledo, Ohio). The February 2016 Battle on Blake outdoor college game at Coors Field (a Major League Baseball stadium in Denver) was held in conjunction with a 2016 NHL Stadium Series match at the same venue. The 2019 NHL Winter Classic at Notre Dame Stadium (Notre Dame's college football stadium, located in Notre Dame, Indiana) was accompanied by a men's college hockey match held days later.

The Big Ten had a recent history of holding events at Wrigley Field, with the Northwestern Wildcats football team having held several football games at the stadium since 2010. As a result, the hockey matches featuring Ohio State teams were not the first Ohio State sports matches to be held at Wrigley Field, as its football team had played a game against Northwestern there in November 2024.

Previous outdoor games featuring the participating teams

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The event was:

  • Michigan men's ninth appearance in an outdoor game
  • Michigan State men's fifth appearance in an outdoor game
  • Ohio State men's fifth appearance in an outdoor game
  • Notre Dame men's fourth appearance in an outdoor game
  • Wisconsin men's fourth appearance in an outdoor game
  • Wisconsin women's second appearance in an outdoor game
  • Ohio State women's first appearance in an outdoor game
  • Penn State men's first appearance in an outdoor game
Previous outdoor games featuring the participating teams
Event Team Opponent played Venue Notes
Date Event name Photo Name Location Description
October 6, 2001 Cold War Michigan men vs. Michigan State Spartan Stadium East Lansing, Michigan College football stadium First outdoor game appearances of both Michigan and Michigan State
February 11, 2006 Frozen Tundra Hockey Classic Ohio State men's vs Wisconsin men's Lambeau Field Green Bay, Wisconsin NFL professional football stadium First outdoor game appearances of both Ohio men's and Wisconsin men's
February 6, 2010 Camp Randall Hockey Classic Michigan vs. Wisconsin men’s Camp Randall Stadium Madison, Wisconsin College football stadium Second outdoor game appearances of both Michigan and Wisconsin men's, first outdoor game apparance of Wisconsin women's
Wisconsin women’s Bemidji State
December 11, 2010 The Big Chill at the Big House Michigan vs. Michigan State Michigan Stadium Ann Arbor, Michigan College football stadium Third outdoor game appearance of Michigan, second outdoor game appearance of Michigan State; set the all-time record for ice hockey attendance
January 15, 2012 The Frozen Diamond Faceoff Michigan (4) vs. Ohio State men's (2) Progressive Field Cleveland, Ohio MLB professional baseball stadium
February 17, 2013 OfficeMax Hockey City Classic Notre Dame Miami of Ohio Soldier Field Chicago, Illinois NFL professional football stadium Double-header; first outdoor game appearance of Notre Dame, third outdoor game appearance of Wisconsin men's
Wisconsin men's Minnesota
December 27, 2013 2013 Hockeytown Winter Festival Michigan Western Michigan Comerica Park Detroit, Michigan MLB professional baseball stadium Double header; fifth outdoor game appearance of Michigan, third outdoor game appearance of Michigan State; the 2013 Hockeytown Winter Festival was held in conjunction with the 2014 NHL Winter Classic at Michigan Stadium. On other days at Comerica Park, it featured other college games, an AHL professional hockey game, and a OHL major junior game.
Michigan State Michigan Tech
January 17, 2014 2014 OfficeMax Hockey City Classic Ohio State men's (3) Minnesota Huntington Bank Stadium Minneapolis, Minnesota College football stadium Part of a double-header
January 4, 2014 Frozen Fenway 2014 Notre Dame (2) Boston College Fenway Park Boston, Massachusetts MLB professional baseball stadium Part of a double-header. Frozen Fenway 2014 featured further matches on other days as well.
February 7, 2015 2015 OfficeMax Hockey City Classic Michigan (6) vs. Michigan State (4) Soldier Field Chicago, Illinois NFL professional football stadium Part of a double-header
January 5, 2019 — Michigan (7) vs. Notre Dame (3) Notre Dame Stadium Notre Dame, Indiana College football stadium Held in conjunction with the 2019 Winter Classic at the same venue
February 18, 2023 Faceoff on the Lake Michigan (8) vs. Ohio State men's (4) Huntington Bank Field Cleveland, Ohio NFL professional football stadium

Uniforms worn

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Michigan players wore uniforms which took design cues from Chicago Cubs baseball uniforms of the 1980s.[2] The jerseys were seen as unconventional in design for the sport of ice hockey. https://news.sportslogos.net/2025/01/03/michigan-goes-out-to-left-field-for-baseball-inspired-frozen-confines-jerseys/college/

https://www.mlive.com/wolverines/2025/01/michigan-hockey-unveils-chicago-cubs-inspired-jerseys-for-outdoor-game-at-wrigley-field.html

https://uni-watch.com/2025/01/03/michigan-hockey-unveils-special-uniforms-for-outdoor-game-vs-ohio-state

Notre Dame wore jerseys which took numerous design cues from the flag of Chicago, also featuring iconography associated with its university, such as substituting four shamrocks for the four stars featured on the flag of Chicago.[2] https://uni-watch.com/2024/12/18/notre-dame-hockey-to-wear-chicago-inspired-sweaters-for-wrigley-game/

Ohio State https://news.sportslogos.net/2024/12/30/ohio-state-brings-baseball-look-to-the-rink-for-outdoor-game-at-wrigley-field/college/ https://uni-watch.com/2024/12/28/osus-frozen-confines-uni-more-football-fields/

Penn State https://onwardstate.com/2024/12/27/penn-state-mens-hockey-unveils-frozen-confines-series-jerseys/

https://uni-watch.com/2024/12/27/penn-state-hockey-reveals-uniforms-for-frozen-confines-game-at-wrigley-field/

https://news.sportslogos.net/2024/12/27/take-me-out-to-the-hockey-game-penn-state-unveils-baseball-themed-jersey-for-wrigley-field-game/college/

Wisconsin teams https://news.sportslogos.net/2025/01/03/wisconsin-mens-womens-teams-roll-out-separate-baseball-inspired-uniforms-for-frozen-confines-series/college/ https://uni-watch.com/2025/01/02/wisconsin-men-and-women-unveil-special-uniforms-for-wrigley-field-outdoor-games/

Weather

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first day

second day

Michigan vs. Ohio State men's (January 3, 2024)

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Stadium during the Michigan vs. Ohio State game

The game between the Michigan and Ohio State men's teams was scheduled as the first of a two-game series between the teams, with Michigan considered to be the "home" team. The second game of the series was played at Michigan's home rink, Yost Arena on January 5. Heading into the game, Michigan was ranked 9th nationally[4] and Ohio State was ranked 13th.[5]

Attendance during the game was in excess of 25,000. https://www.dailyfaceoff.com/news/frozen-confines-big-ten-series-proves-second-city-is-hockeys-no-1-host

Game summary

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January 3, 2025[5][6] Michigan Wolverines 3–4 Ohio State Buckeyes Wrigley Field Recap
Scoring summary
Period Team Goal Assist(s) Time Score
1st MICH Michael Hage 18:14 1–0 MICH
2nd MICH T.J. Hughes Will Horcoff, EVan Werner 04:42
(power play) 		2–01 MICH
OSU Sam Deckhut Noah Powell, Brent Johnson 12:56 2–1 MICH
OSU Noah Powell Chris Able 18:37 2–2 TIE
3rd MICH Will Horcoff [Michael Hage, T.J. Hughes 9:15
(power play) 		3–2 MICH
OSU Riley Thompson Aiden Hansen-Bukata, Gunnarwolfe Fontaine 12:05
(power play) 		3–3 TIE
OSU Riley Thompson Gunnarwolfe Fontaine, Davis Burnside 19:21.6
(power play) 		4–3 OSU
Penalty summary
Period Team Player Penalty Time PIM

Game synopsis

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In the third period, Michigan freshman Will Horcoff scored his first collegiate hockey goal during a power play for his team, giving his team a 3–2 lead. However, Ohio State took advantage of a power play to tie the game. Ohio then scored again, and won the game. The game-winning goal was scored by Ohio's Riley Thompson with 38 seconds remaining in regulation play.[4]

Notre Dame vs. Penn State men's (January 3, 2024)

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The Wrigley Field center field scoreboard set-up to display the January 3 scores

Before their game, Penn State players warmed up by tossing a football on the field, and Notre Dame players warmed up by playing catch with a baseball and baseball mitts (while Michigan and Ohio State were still playing).[2]

Ohio State vs. Wisconsin women's (January 4, 2025)

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Wisconsin women's players enter the ice for their game


Three stars[7]
  • 1st: Jenna Buglioni (Ohio State)
  • 2nd: Amanda Theile (Ohio State)
  • 3rd: Ava McNaughton (goaltender, Wisconsin)

Michigan State vs. Wisconsin men's (January 4, 2025)

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The Star Spangled Banner being performed before the start of the Michigan State vs. Wisconsin game
Wisconsin players departing the ice at the end of a period
Fireworks after the final goal

References

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  1. ^ Knight, Mark (5 January 2025). "Frozen Confines: Top Highlights and Best Moments from Wisconsin Hockey at Wrigley". Badger of Honor. Retrieved 6 January 2025.
  2. ^ a b c d Mielke, Mackenzie (4 January 2025). "The Frozen Confines Offers a Night Under Wrigley Field's Lights". The Michigan Daily. Retrieved 6 January 2025.
  3. ^ Gray, Shardaa; Parys, Jori (30 December 2024). "The Friendly Confines of Wrigley Field are now the Frozen Confines for NHL Winter Classic - CBS Chicago". CBS News. Retrieved 8 January 2025.
  4. ^ a b Hamilton, Jacob (6 January 2025). "See Photos From Michigan vs. Ohio State Hockey at Wrigley Field". MLive. Retrieved 6 January 2025.
  5. ^ a b "No. 13 Buckeyes Rally to Down No. 9 Wolverines at Wrigley". Ohio State Buckeyes. January 2024. Retrieved 6 January 2025.
  6. ^ "Men's Ice Hockey vs Michigan on 01/03/2025 - Box Score". Ohio State Buckeyes. January 2024. Retrieved 6 January 2025.
  7. ^ Milewski, Todd D. (4 January 2025). "3 Things That Stood Out In Wisconsin Women's Hockey's Tie and Shootout Loss at Wrigley Field". BadgerExtra. Retrieved 6 January 2025.
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