Inside Out Classic will turn Capitals vs. Rangers into real-time animated game inspired by popular Disney-Pixar movies

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Inside Out Classic will turn Capitals vs. Rangers into real-time animated game inspired by popular Disney-Pixar movies

The Washington Capitals and New York Rangers will face off on national television Sunday, April 5, at 7 pm. But so too will a companion animated telecast that could be a must-watch for the younger hockey fans in your life.

The “NHL Inside Out Classic” will use Sony’s Beyond Sports visualization technology, NHL EDGE positional data (puck and player tracking), and Sony’s Hawk-Eye Innovations optical tracking to create a real-time animated version of the game. The broadcast will feature characters from the Inside Out universe. Drew Carter will voice the play-by-play while Kevin Weekes will provide analysis.

📸: ESPN Press Room

ESPN will carry the traditional telecast, while ESPN+, Disney+, Disney Channel, and Disney XD will air the real-time animated version.

The animated game will be played inside the mind of Inside Out character Riley at Hockey Island, where Riley’s Emotions will skate alongside animated versions of the NHL players.

Inside Out Classic teaser trailer

“Get ready for an emotional showdown as Joy, Sadness, Anxiety, and the rest of Riley’s emotions team up with the Washington Capitals and New York Rangers for an NHL game unlike you’ve ever seen before,” Carter says in a preview video.

“And I’ve got to say, the mindworkers are really working hard to get this place ready,” Weekes responds. “Learn about the great game of hockey and the emotions that help shape the game.”

The NHL began promoting the Inside Out Classic by having players answer questions from the animated characters.

Riley first tells four Capitals players that she loved going to hockey camps with her friends as a kid. So she asked Logan Thompson, Dylan Strome, Tom Wilson, and Alex Ovechkin if they did too and what their favorite memories were.

“Hey, Riley,” Thompson replied. “Yeah, I went to a couple camps when I was younger back in Calgary with early mornings waking up. My dad taking me to get a breakfast sandwich and heading over to the rink. A lot of fun working on my game meeting the other goalies trying to get better every morning.”

“A lot of fun to just go play hockey for what felt like four or five hours at a time,” Strome added. “Have some lunch and then go back on the ice again.”

“I just remember playing a whole bunch of sports, playing with my friends, enjoying, kinda doing everything as a kid with your best buddies,” Wilson reminisced. “Obviously, the best part was getting on the ice and playing hockey.”

“We working hard and we have some great times together and it was some pretty cool moments,” Ovechkin concludes.

Rangers players were also asked how they deal with anger on the ice.

“A lot of times when I’m angry, I feel like I overwork myself and put myself in bad spots” Vincent Trocheck said. “So for me it’s whenever I’m angry, I gotta do my best to do some breathing and trying to calm my nerves a little bit.”

“Anger can be a good thing as well,” countered Will Cuylle. “Hockey’s an aggressive sport so you want to try and play a little angry but obviously be in control of yourself.”

The Inside Out Classic will be the third ESPN/Disney animated NHL presentation which first began in 2023 with the “NHL Big City Greens Classic” that also featured the same two teams.