NHL 23 sim prediction: Who will win the 2023 Winter Classic?

Final Prediction

The 2023 Winter Classic will mark the 14th time that this event has been held. The weather for this event is supposed to be perfect with there being a high of 48 degrees and a low of 34 degrees and partly cloudy. There should also be no snow or other major weather that should impact this game at all.

With all of that being said, I wouldn’t be surprised if either team comes away with the win here. Both teams are full of talented athletes and each team has impact superstars that can pull this game in their team’s favor at any given moment. The defense and goaltending is where I think the Boston Bruins have a clear advantage. There is no word on how Letang’s lower-body injury may impact him playing in this game. If Letang doesn’t end up playing for some reason, the defense for the Pittsburgh Penguins could face some issues.

This Boston Bruins team is 4-1 career in outdoor hockey games and 2-1 all-time in Winter Classics. The only loss the Boston Bruins faced was against the Montreal Canadiens in the 2016 Winter Classic held at Gillette Stadium. The Pittsburgh Penguins are 2-2-1 all-time in outdoor NHL games. The Pittsburgh Penguins actually defeated the Buffalo Sabres in the first-ever Winter Classic in 2008 when Sidney Crosby won it for the Penguins in a shootout.

Given how well this Boston Bruins team has been playing this season and the fact that they still haven’t lost a game in regulation at home this year (18-0-2), I think the Bruins are going to find a way to defeat the Pittsburgh Penguins in what I expect to be a very tight game. The weather is perfect, and this gives not only the offense on each side to shine, but I expect the goalies to be playing at a high level as well.

Prediction: Boston Bruins defeat the Pittsburgh Penguins 3-2