FILE - In this Nov. 16, 2011 file photo, Anaheim Ducks center Ryan Getzlaf, left, and Los Angeles Kings centre Anze Kopitar wait for the linesman to drop the puck during the first period of an NHL hockey game in Los Angeles.The Associated Press
The Freeway Face-Off will have a different look for one game next year.
The National Hockey League announced Monday that Los Angeles Kings will play host to the Anaheim Ducks in a regular-season outdoor game at Dodger Stadium on Jan. 25. It will be the southern-most outdoor NHL game ever and the first-ever in California.
"With their meeting in the 2014 Coors Light NHL Stadium Series, the Ducks and the Kings will write the next chapter in the exciting story of NHL hockey in Southern California," commissioner Gary Bettman said in a release.
"At a venue that represents so much glorious sports history, this matchup of Stanley Cup champions will raise our outdoor initiatives to bold new heights. We know the game will be a treat for our fans, and we thank the Ducks, the Kings, Coors Light, Dodger Stadium and the Los Angeles Dodgers for bringing it to life."
The matchup is part of a previously announced series of games planned for outdoor locations next season. Dodger Stadium, which opened in 1962, is home to the Los Angeles Dodgers of Major League Baseball.
"Dodger Stadium has been home to many unique and special moments over the past 51 years," said Dodgers president Stan Kasten. "We'll add another first in 2014 when the Dodger Stadium infield turns to ice as we host our first National Hockey League game between the Los Angeles Kings and the Anaheim Ducks."
Since the advent of a second team in Southern California 20 years ago, the Freeway Face-Off between the Ducks and Kings has been among the most spirited NHL rivalries.
The first-ever NHL regular-season outdoor game was played in 2003 when the Edmonton Oilers hosted the Montreal Canadiens at Commonwealth Stadium. Since then, the NHL has played six additional regular-season games outdoors.
The NHL recently announced that the 2014 Bridgestone NHL Winter Classic is scheduled for Jan. 1 when the Detroit Red Wings will host the Toronto Maple Leafs at Michigan Stadium. In addition, the Chicago Blackhawks and Pittsburgh Penguins will face off March 1 at Soldier Field.