Winter Classic to bring Bruins, Canadiens to home of Pats

FOXBOROUGH, Mass. (AP) The Winter Classic is coming to the home of the New England Patriots. NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman joined officials from the Boston

FOXBOROUGH, Mass. (AP) The Winter Classic is coming to the home of the New England Patriots.

NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman joined officials from the Boston Bruins and Montreal Canadiens on Wednesday to say the Original Six rivals would meet at Gillette Stadium on New Year's Day. The Bruins will be the first team to host the event twice. They also hosted it in 2010, at Fenway Park.

Patriots owner Robert Kraft also spoke at the ceremony, just hours after his impassioned ''Deflategate'' defense.

Bettman notes that the three organizations are among the most successful in their sports, with 34 championships. The Canadiens have won 24 of those, but the Patriots are the defending Super Bowl champs.

Bettman also says the league has extended the game's title sponsorship with Bridgestone for another five years.