who won the winter classic

The New York Rangers won the 2026 NHL Winter Classic, defeating the Florida Panthers 5–1 at LoanDepot Park in Miami on January 2, 2026.

Game overview

The 2026 NHL Winter Classic was hosted by the defending Stanley Cup champion Florida Panthers, with the New York Rangers as the visiting team in an outdoor showcase at Miami’s LoanDepot Park. The Rangers controlled the game early, building a multi-goal lead that the Panthers never recovered from despite strong stretches of puck possession.

Key performers

• Mika Zibanejad had a historic night for the Rangers, recording a hat trick and adding two assists for a five-point performance, the first hat trick in Winter Classic history.

• Artemi Panarin contributed significantly as well, registering multiple points and scoring twice to help secure the Rangers’ dominant win.

• For Florida, Sam Reinhart scored the Panthers’ lone goal on a power play early in the third period, breaking the Rangers’ shutout bid.

Final score and significance

• Final score: New York Rangers 5, Florida Panthers 1.

• With this victory, the Rangers improved their all-time record in outdoor NHL games to 6–0, extending one of the most impressive outdoor-game streaks in the league.

Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.