DALLAS -- Welcome to a Texas-sized NHL Winter Classic.
The annual showcase is going to be one big outdoor game when the Dallas Stars host the Nashville Predators at the historic Cotton Bowl Stadium on Wednesday -- even without "Big Tex" booming out the customary "Howdy, folks!" that visitors to the State Fair of Texas hear each fall.
More than 84,000 fans are expected for the NHL's 12th New Year's Day game, this one at the stadium where the boots belonging to the fair's iconic 55-foot talking cowboy will be near the rink with an oversized, ranch-style entry arch.