Orpik coming home to great outdoors

East Amherst native Brooks Orpik always relishes coming back home to play hockey. He'll be a lot more jazzed when he returns Jan. 1.

Orpik is a defenseman for the Penguins, who will be skating outside against the Sabres in Ralph Wilson Stadium on New Year's Day.

The NHL Winter Classic sold out this morning in less than a half hour. Orpik wasn't surprised at the clamor for the outdoor event.

"The following is huge," Orpik said. "The Sabres have a great fan base. You get into that area of the country, and it is pretty evident that Sabres fans cannot get enough of their team.

"There is not a hell of a lot going on in the winter up there, so this will be huge, especially if [the Bills] are not in the Super Bowl. And that is probably not going to happen."

Gee, thanks for that prediction, Nostradamus.

---Tim Graham

Comments

[Keith]

Yeah the Sabres have a great fan base, but the part of that fan base that's in the general public will have to pay way above face value because of the brilliant decision to not limit the amount of tickets one could buy. Not to mention that Maple Leafs and BLUE JAYS season ticket holders had an advantage. Sounds like a big blow-off to the Sabres fan base. Way to go.

[Keith]

Yeah the Sabres have a great fan base, but the part of that fan base that's in the general public will have to pay way above face value because of the brilliant decision to not limit the amount of tickets one could buy. Not to mention that Maple Leafs and BLUE JAYS season ticket holders had an advantage. Sounds like a big blow-off to the Sabres fan base. Way to go.