The NHL's greatest rivalry is coming to Foxboro.
Next New Year's day, the Boston Bruins will host the Montreal Canadiens at Gillette Stadium in the Winter Classic, a league source told Comcast SportsNet New England's Joe Haggerty.
In one of hockey's newest old-time traditions, an outdoor hockey game is played every year on Jan. 1. This will be the second time Massachusetts plays host to the Winter Classic, with the Bruins facing the Philadelphia Flyers in 2010 at Fenway Park.
The game will be taking place during Week 17 of the NFL's next season. As Haggerty points out, the Patriots may be on the road for the final two weeks of the season to avoid a scheduling conflict. But according to a CSNNE source, the Pats could host a Thursday night game the week before the Classic, similarly to how the Pittsburgh Steelers handled the 2011 game at Heinz Field.