Hockey Winter Classic start moved due to weather

National Hockey League officials have pushed back the start of Monday's annual Winter Classic outdoor game by two hours because of weather forecasts, the league announced on Sunday. The opening face-off between the Philadelphia Flyers and New York Rangers will come at 3pm (2000 GMT) on Monday in a bid to provide optimal conditions for players and spectators. Cool and windy conditions are expected at game time although temperatures figure to stay above freezing, not a problem for the outdoor rink which has special freezing equipment to keep the surface icy. The Rangers lead the Eastern Conference with 23 wins and 50 points through 36 games while the Flyers, with 22 wins in 36 games, trail New York by only two points in the Atlantic division. The game will mark the fifth edition of the Winter Classic, the first coming in Buffalo with others having been staged in Chicago, Boston and Pittsburgh. Other outdoor regular-season games were staged in Edmonton and Calgary, Canada.