Weather conditions good for Winter Classic

It appears as though Mother Nature will cooperate this New Year's Day.

The weather at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Mass. was party cloudy and 40 degrees (4 degrees Celsius) as of 11 a.m. ET. Wind is slight (10 mph), and pockets of sunshine are expected throughout the afternoon. There's a 0 percent chance of precipitation during the showdown between the Boston Bruins and Montreal Canadiens.

We've been waiting for this day for 365 days! #WinterClassic pic.twitter.com/0xN1oQ5RfV

- NHL on NBC (@NHLonNBCSports) January 1, 2016

Ice-makers had thermal blankets on the sheet Friday morning, according to Sportsnet's Eric Engels, but the move was precautionary. The sun caused a few issues during practice Thursday, with some of the corners becoming very slushy.

Puck drop, after the pomp and circumstance, is set for 1:38 p.m. ET, according to Engels.

This is the fourth time the Bruins and Canadiens will meet on New Year's Day. The last time was in 1968.

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