Sabres, Leafs take their rivalry outdoors

BUFFALO — The Buffalo Sabres’ cross-border rivalry against the Toronto Maple Leafs is heading outdoors.

The Sabres are listed as the home team against the Maple Leafs in the NHL’s Heritage Classic, to be played at Tim Hortons Field, home of the Canadian Football League’s Hamilton Tiger-Cats, on March 13, the league announced Thursday.

Buffalo becomes the first U.S.-based team to compete in what will be the sixth Heritage Classic, which is part of the NHL’s outdoor series of games and traditionally set in Canada featuring matchups of Canadian teams. In choosing Hamilton as a host, the NHL selected a site that is essentially the mid-point of the 160-kilometre drive separating the Atlantic Division rivals.

The NHL had previously scheduled two outdoor games for the upcoming season. St. Louis will play at Minnesota in the Winter Classic on New Year’s Day, and Tampa Bay will play at Nashville on Feb. 26.

The Sabres hosted the league’s first Winter Classic in 2008 and will be competing in their third regular-season outdoor game.