Freedom and Liberty ice hockey to stage their own Winter Classic on Feb. 5

The Winter Classic at Michigan Stadium on New Year's Day attracted an amazing 105,491 fans.

The Freedom and Liberty ice hockey teams know they won't draw that kind of crowd, but they expect a good one when they meet at 7:15 p.m. on Feb. 5 in what they hope will be the first of many Bethlehem Winter Classics.

The setting will be the Bethlehem Municipal Ice Rink on Illicks Mill Road. There will be a $2 admission charge with all proceeds going to Dream Come True of the Lehigh Valley.

The game will not count in the Lehigh Valley Scholastic Hockey League standings, but still should be a hotly contested game in the cold outdoor setting.

"It's a great idea and there's a lot of people pulling together to make this happen," Freedom coach Brandon Zittrer said. "The Winter Classic in the NHL attracts so much attention and as a community event, this has the potential to be a huge thing and something that can grow into an annual event."

Zittrer said that many local sponsors have come on board, including his own Soldiers Construction and Landscaping company.

"The bottom line is that it's great for the kids because they get to play hockey, which is what they love to do," Zittrer said. "Here they get to play it at different level than normal. It's an outdoor rink and the ice is better there than at most indoor rinks in the area. All the glitz and glamour is great, but ultimately, this is about the kids and we want them to have a good time with it."

Zittrer, a 2005 Freedom graduate who played ice hockey during his high school days, is hoping that the game is not only a showcase for the two teams, but also for the sport in general. In the Lehigh Valley, scholastic ice hockey is a club sport not sponsored by the school districts.

"Typically, ice hockey players start at a very young age and their skills are developed and they are at a point now where many of the kids are looking to go and play college hockey," Zittrer said. "We have great kids and this is definitely a fast-paced sport that's fun to watch."

The players and their parents are doing what they can to spread the word about the game, which came together in a hurry. There should be plenty of standing room available around the glass for fans.

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Freedom and Liberty ice hockey to stage their own Winter Classic on Feb. 5