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It didn't take long for Gillette Stadium to look more like an ice rink than a football field following the New England Patriots' 33-16 win over the Tennessee Titans on Sunday.

The crew is hard at work in Foxboro, Mass., setting up for the 2016 Winter Classic between the Montreal Canadiens and the Boston Bruins. And with the unseasonably warm weather, the crew is managing to avoid some of the hassles they sometimes face getting ready for the New Year's Day tradition.

"We've done a couple where we had to shovel snow for four hours before we've even had to start work," NHL director of facilities operations Dan Craig said Monday. "So you normally have a 10-, 12-hour shift where you're doing work, and then all of a sudden you have to put four hours of shoveling snow along with that. It makes for a long day."

Even with the warm weather, though, the Winter Classic is sure to be a special event.

"To be outdoors and be in the fresh air -- when you get in the middle of the rink and you look around, it's pretty spectacular," Craig said.

You can check out how the transformation is going in the video above.

Thumbnail photo via Twitter/@Gillette Stadium