Without the Winter Classic, we never would have learned that former Washington Capitals coach Bruce Boudreau has a penchant to use words that begin with F.

Not only does cancellation of the Jan. 1 game rob the NHL of its premier showcase, it also eliminates HBO’s highly popular 24/7 series featuring the teams in the Winter Classic. The shows are a terrific promotion for the league, pulling in nice numbers.

Boudreau became a 24/7 star in 2010 leading up to the Washington-Pittsburgh game in the Winter Classic. Here’s a classic intermission speech. Duck and cover.