Winter Classic Notebook: Growing up a Notre Dame fan, Torey Krug relishing trip to South Bend; Brad Marchand ready for 1st Winter Classic appearance

SOUTH BEND, Ind. — He might be a Michigan State supporter through and through now, but like many across the country, Torey Krug found himself supporting the Notre Dame Fighting Irish while growing up in Livonia, Michigan.

“I had a Notre Dame Irish hat growing up. It was off-white with a green shamrock,” Krug said following Sunday’s practice in South Bend. “I remember always having that on as a little kid.”

It’d be hard to found a body in the Bruins locker room that isn’t excited about skating outdoors at Notre Dame Stadium for Tuesday’s Winter Classic, but for some — the venue itself doesn’t unveil deep ties to the Fighting Irish.

“I’m from Columbus. I’m a Midwest boy, so I’m very familiar with the tradition,” Sean Kuraly said. “I’m an Ohio State football fan. ... Seeing Rudy and the old tradition. You just know it’s a prestigious institution and a place where a lot of good alumni have come through here.”

“Just saw Rudy. Hell of a movie," Brad Marchand said. "That’s really the only connection I have to this place. But loved the flick and, yeah, go Rudy,”

For Krug, who played one season with the Indiana Ice before moving on to the collegiate ranks at Michigan State, Notre Dame always presented itself as a program that the defenseman wanted to be a part of growing up.

“It’s a special place for sure. … Obviously I played for Michigan State and played a few big games here, played in the old building and the new building,” Krug said. “It was also a storied program that I grew up watching. Actually wanted to be a part of one day. I thought that would have been pretty cool. That’s not the way the cards fell. It was a dream to play at Michigan State. But it is a school that I have a lot of respect, personally, for. And a place I wanted to be at one point for sure. It’s a pretty cool place.”

However, the Fighting Irish never came knocking, with the program focused on another puck-moving recruit in Cam Fowler — who committed to Notre Dame but ultimately opted to play in the OHL.

Krug, who noted that he was “recruited later in the ballgame by a lot of schools,” doesn’t hold any regrets about joining the Spartans. When asked of his favorite memory about Notre Dame football, he brings back the 2010 game where Michigan State used a fake field goal to beat the Irish, 34-31, in Lansing.

No love lost now, it seems.

“It was a place that I liked,” Krug said of Notre Dame. “Still very happy with the way things turned out at Michigan State.”

Marchand ready for Winter Classic debut

He’s been a mainstay with the Bruins for years now, but Tuesday is shaping up to be Brad Marchand’s first appearance at a Winter Classic matchup.

The pesky winger was set to play in the 2016 event at Gillette Stadium against the Canadiens, but that fell apart after Marchand was handed a three-game suspension on Dec. 30, 2015 for delivering a hit against Senators defenseman Mark Borowiecki.

While Marchand alone likely wouldn't have turned the tide in what was a miserable 5-1 loss to the Habs in 2016, not getting a chance to participate in the full pomp and circumstance of the event was a tough pill for the B’s skater to swallow.

“It’s the event. At the end of the day, It’s just another game in the regular season,” Marchand said.”But I think it’s the event, the experience of the whole thing — what your family gets to do and be a part of. It’s the whole experience that you miss out on. At the end of the day, it’s just two points, but it’s much more than that.”

Marchand’s situation in 2016 is similar to what David Backes is currently dealing with, with the veteran forward unable to participate in Tuesday’s outdoor showcase after getting handed a three-game suspension by the NHL on Friday following an illegal check to the head against Devils forward Blake Coleman.

“Feel very bad for Backs,” Marchand said. “That’s a very tough situation to be in. There’s such a fine line now and it’s so blurred that you never know what’s going to happen. You noticed a very similar hit on (Ryan) Donato in that game. Wasn’t looked at. Just feel very bad for Backes and the situation he’s in. It’s tough to miss a game like this and the opportunity to be a part of something like this with the family he has coming in.”

While Marchand is not facing any trouble from the league office ahead of Tuesday’s game, his status was still a bit up in the air after missing Saturday’s win over Buffalo due to an upper-body injury.

Even though Marchand looked good in practice at Compton Family Ice Arena on Sunday, Bruce Cassidy did note that the winger would need to skate once again on Monday before getting officially cleared for the game.

Marchand, always one to crack a joke, doesn’t believe that’s going to be much of an issue.

“(Getting to play) is so important that I faked that I was hurt last game,” Marchand said. “So I had an excuse to make sure I didn’t get suspended.”

Cassidy reflects on last Winter Classic

The last time that Bruce Cassidy was at a Winter Classic featuring the Bruins, he was a part of the organization — serving as head coach of the Providence Bruins — but still found himself up in the stands at Gillette Stadium for Boston’s drubbing at the hands of the Habs.

“I don’t know what section of Gillette. Probably the far corner above (the field). The second section with (son) Cole, who was probably four at the time," Cassidy said. "I froze with him as well. Took train up from Providence with friends of ours and was expecting, obviously like everyone else a great game. Just didn’t work out that way. Just didn't work out that way for the Bruins. They had a tough start and ended up chasing the game. But I think it's still a great memory to have, even though I didn't leave there with a smile on my face."

At that time, did Cassidy ever think that he’s be coaching …

“The Patriots?,” Cassidy interrupted. "In Gillette? I love football. I've gotta tell you. And if I was ever anything, I'd want to be an offensive coordinator for a day because I like to draw up plays, like the power plays."

As for the Bruins?

"In the back of your mind, it's what you'd like, somewhere. I happened to get it. I think I worked hard for it, but at the same time certain things had to happen, get the blessing of management as well. For me, it was a great story for me personally. Great to be here."