Disney Channel Shares Highlight Reel From Recent “NHL Big City Greens Classic 2”

Over the weekend, Disney Channel, Disney XD, Disney+ and ESPN+ played host to the NHL Big City Greens Classic 2, a live sporting event placing a real NHL game live into the animated world of the hit animated series, and now Disney Channel has shared some highlights from the event!

What’s Happening:

  • Disney Channel has shared a wonderful highlight reel featuring some of the most memorable moments from the recent NHL Big City Greens Classic 2.
  • The recap of the real Penguins Vs. Bruins game includes all the highlights from the real game, including the goals made by the animated players (who were filling in for real players in the game using tracking technology).
  • It was actually Gloria Sato who scored two goals for the Boston Bruins, helping secure their win over the Pittsburgh Penguins.
  • The game also featured live appearances by our favorite characters from the series, including series creator Chris Houghton (Cricket), Marieve Herington (Tilly), Zeno Robinson (Remy), Artemis Pebdani (Gramma) and creator and executive producer Shane Houghton (various characters, which may or may not include a chicken referee).
  • For a full recap of the broadcast, check out our post here. 

  • ESPN, Disney Branded Television and the National Hockey League (NHL)  teamed up to bring fans the second NHL Big City Greens Classic, a live, animated NHL game telecast featuring the Pittsburgh Penguins vs. Boston Bruins, over the weekend on March 9th.
  • Last year’s NHL Big City Greens Classic featuring the Washington Capitals vs. New York Rangers was the first-of-its-kind live volumetric animation presentation.
  • The alternate presentation of the Penguins-Bruins game featured real-time virtually recreated animation of NHL players and teams modeled after characters on Disney Channel’s hit animated series Big City Greens.
  • ESPN+, Disney Channel, Disney XD and Disney+ will present the live, animated telecast, while the traditional telecast will be available on ABC and ESPN+.
  • The alternate presentation once again leveraged tracking technology to recreate the action on the ice as it is happened while featuring Big City Greens characters (based on the teaser, a lot more than last year!) skating alongside animated versions of the NHL players.
  • The presentation blended two types of tracking technologies – NHL EDGE positional data (NHL Puck and Player tracking) and Hawk-Eye Innovations optical tracking – to create more dynamic player and character movement to help fans better visualize detailed limb and stick movement and mannerisms.
    • With the blessing of captains Brad Marchand and Sidney Crosby, Big City Greens very own Gramma will coach the Bruins, while her grandson, Cricket, will coach the Penguins.
    • The ESPN commentators calling the action on the animated telecast – Drew Carter, Kevin Weekes and Arda Öcal – wore virtual reality headsets for motion capture, to immerse them in the animated environment of Times Circle.
    • Big City Greens voice talent were also featured in the presentation, including creator and executive producer Chris Houghton (Cricket), Marieve Herington (Tilly), Zeno Robinson (Remy), Artemis Pebdani (Gramma) and creator and executive producer Shane Houghton (various characters).
  • The real-time animation was produced in association with ESPN Edge Innovation Center and NHL EDGE Innovation partner Beyond Sports. Outside the U.S., The NHL Big City Greens Classic is available on Disney+ in select countries.

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Tony Betti
Originally from California where he studied a dying artform (hand-drawn animation), Tony has spent most of his adult life in the theme parks of Orlando. When he’s not writing for LP, he’s usually watching and studying something animated or arguing about “the good ole’ days” at the parks.