Sunshine and Overtime: The Cleveland Outdoor Classic

CLEVELAND – It was a picture perfect day in Cleveland, Ohio on Saturday — the kind of day Northeast Ohioans dream of as winter rolls on. Seagulls were squawking, tailgaters were wearing hoodies instead of winter jackets, the wind didn’t chill you to the bone, and the sun was shining at a brightness which required you to wear sunglasses to function. Yes, my dear sweet readers, you read that correctly. The sun was shining in Cleveland at the beginning of March. 

Normally, a strong showing by the sun is something to be celebrated in Cleveland. However, due to the sun, defender Dillon Simpson continued his streak of delays in outdoor games to four. A melted and choppy ice surface led to a five-hour delay for Monsters and Penguins fans. 

Due to increased sunshine within the past hour, current ice conditions require a delay in the start of today’s game until approximately 6:00 p.m.

Fans holding tickets to today's game may stay in the stadium or may leave and re-enter.

— Cleveland Monsters (@monstershockey) March 4, 2023

Many left the stadium to take in the sights, sounds, and alcohol of downtown Cleveland. Some went back to the parking lot to continue their tailgates and play a few rounds of mini sticks and toss a football around. Goaltender Jet Greaves was one of the many people who left the stadium during the sun delay. Instead of waiting around for the ice to chill, Greaves headed home to eat, take a nap, and eat again. 

Then there were the few, the proud, the dedicated – the people who stayed in the stadium during the entire five-hour delay. As you wandered the stadium, different sights could be seen. Children were curled up in seats taking naps, multiple card games were being held, and lively discussions about the NFL combine were going on. There was even a chicken tender eating competition that took place near the dog pound. 

As the sun began to set, the crowds slowly streamed in and players on both teams began their pre-warmup traditions of sewer ball. This is also when we saw the Monsters score their first goal of the evening. It was a soccer goal, but still a goal nonetheless.  

Unfortunately, not all the fans were able to come back for the 6pm start time. Some were left in the precarious position of having to choose between the Outdoor Classic and various other obligations such as work, youth hockey championships, and the Cleveland Cavaliers game. 

Even though not everyone was able to come back to watch after the delay, the Monsters noted just how thankful they were for the over 8,000 fans who were finally able to take in some outdoor hockey.

“Huge shoutout to the fans. We talk about it all the time. They show up. Good times. Bad times,” said Simpson. “Today, that’s a long one for them. I’m sure they had a heck of a day. But to see that many people in the stands and for it to be that loud , that was great to see.” 

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On the flip side, if you are a fan of the Monsters, the first period of the game was not great to see. Passing was sloppy and there were some key breakdowns in Cleveland’s offensive zone which led to the Penguins scoring twice in the first period. During their man advantage, the Monsters struggled to keep the puck flat and lost most of their battles along the boards.  

The second period was a much different vibe for the Monsters. In the first 1:30 of the second, they had a huge presence in front of Wilkes-Barre Scranton’s net. They started to skate harder and were able to maintain momentum for basically the rest of the game. As head coach Trent Vogelhuber put it, the Monsters “punched them in the mouth with work in the second period.”

The simplification of the game allowed Cleveland to get their positive momentum rolling. “We sprinted on the forecheck. We got more physical. We simplified and really started funneling pucks,” explained Vogelhuber. Once the Monsters started pushing, there was no turning back. Cleveland’s new found momentum led them to push the game into a short but thrilling overtime in which they scored 1:30 into extra time to take down the Penguins, 3-2.

The puck is in
The Monsters win
at the good 'ol outdoor hockey game.

Monsters beat the Penguins, 3-2, in overtime.#CLEMonsters #WBSPens @fpc_ahl pic.twitter.com/p38Xwy85IV

— Elaine Shircliff (@imaraindancer) March 5, 2023

But as we all know, it’s not always about how things end. It’s also about the memories we make along the way. “For me, looking back at all the outdoor games I’ve already done, you remember the stuff off the ice more,“ said Simpson. “The delays. The stuff you have to deal with. The fans. So, it was just the whole experience.”

For forward Josh Dunne, Saturday’s events will likely not be forgotten anytime soon. “It was my first outdoor game. So, it was just really a surreal moment and something that every kid dreams about,” said Dunne. 

The room broke out in a roar of laughter when Vogelhuber joked that his favorite moment of the day was eating donuts. “One of the trainers brought in donuts for the staff,” Vogelhuber said with a devilish grin on his face. “During the five-hour delay, I had like three of them. So, that was pretty good”

As the laughter faded, Vogelhuber emphasized winning was the best part of the Outdoor Classic. “Winning was definitely number one,” said Vogelhuber. “The game. The battle back. It was a good win.”

It’s easy to see why knowing that this win of the Penguins puts them two points closer to an appearance in the 2023 Calder Cup Playoffs.