Nationals Park Being Transformed Into Hockey Rink for Winter Classic

Nationals Park will soon become a hockey rink.

Workers started today (Monday) on preparing the baseball stadium for the NHL Winter Classic, which is set to be played outdoors on New Year’s Day. A 53-foot mobile refrigeration truck known as the “Ice Plant” arrived at the stadium this morning.

The machinery will help create a sheet of ice nearly two inches thick, stretching from baseline to baseline, according to the NHL.

The temperature of the ice will be monitored closely, NHL operations director Dan Craig told Washington Business Journal.

“The indoor rink, you know that your building is going to be at 60 degrees or 64 degrees. Here, you wake up and say ‘What’s the weather?'” he said.

Time lapse video of the creation of the rink will be posted on the league’s website.

The Capitals will play the Chicago Blackhawks at 1 p.m. Jan 1.

Photo via Twitter/CapitalsPR