It’s hard to believe that a year has passed since I received the call from NBC hockey producer Sam Flood that I was on standby for Doc Emrick as the voice of the 2009 Winter Classic.

Fenway Park in Boston is ready for hockey.

As it turned out, Doc had a serious case of laryngitis and I was “called from the bullpen” to replace him for the game at Wrigley Field. It was one of the highlights of my broadcasting career to be part of such a terrific event.

A couple of weeks ago, I received another call. This time, it was from NHL Radio producer Gregg Baldinger. He told me I was on standby in case New York Rangers’ play-by-play voice Sam Rosen wasn’t available to call the 2010 Winter Classic at Fenway Park. Sam has been the primary play-by-play voice of NHL Radio for several seasons. This time it wasn’t an illness but simply a scheduling conflict that prevented Sam from being available. So, once again, I’m coming out of the bullpen to call the outdoor game as the Boston Bruins host the Philadelphia Flyers.

One of the thrills of calling the game last Jan. 1 was the fact that I had never been to Wrigley Field. Walking up the steps from the ground level concourse to see Wrigley staged for an NHL game is a sight I will never forget. I can’t wait to see what they’ve done to Fenway! I have never been to this historic baseball shrine either. But, I’ve seen a lot more games from Fenway over the years than I

The Bruins will host the Flyers on Jan. 1, 2010 at Fenway Park.

ever saw from Wrigley. I’ve never been a huge baseball fan, but as a kid growing up in upstate New York, the Red Sox of the mid-1960s were my favorite team. Names like Yastrzemski, Scott, Petrocelli and Conigliaro were the stars of those squads.

Reading some of the early reports from Fenway, this year’s event will be another spectacle. I’ll be working alongside Bill Clement, one of my former colleagues from ESPN. Bill won a couple of Stanley Cups with the Flyers, including the 1974 title when the Flyers took down the Bruins.

For those of you with satellite radio, the game will be available on Sirius XM.