NHL has backup plan for Winter Classic if bad weather persists
The NHL has reserved Heinz Field for Sunday if weather conditions prevent the Washington Capitals and Pittsburgh Penguins from playing the 2011 Winter Classic on New Year's Day, the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review reported.
The game is scheduled to begin at 1 p.m. ET on Saturday. The league says it has a "long window" in which to play the nationally televised outdoor game at the Pittsburgh Steelers' home stadium, according to the report.
Long-range weather forecasts aren't nearly as accurate as short-term forecasts. That being said, the long-range outlook for this weekend in Pittsburgh calls for unseasonably warm temperatures in the 40s and 50s and a chance of rain.
Warm temperatures would not pose an issue for the ice.
"We could have ice at 65 [degrees] as long as it is an overcast day," Dan Craig, the NHL's ice expert, told ESPN.com last week.
But steady rainfall might create problems, because the rain would not immediately freeze. That could either flood the rink or create uneven ice, which could pose a safety risk to the players.
"There are a lot of variables we have to balance to get where we want to be, and we are always keeping in mind players' safety," Craig said, according to the Tribune-Review.
If the game cannot be played outdoors this weekend, it will be rescheduled for later in the season at on the Penguins' home ice at Consol Energy Center, according to the report.
Live view of Heinz Field in Pittsburgh
The NHL has reserved Heinz Field for Sunday if weather conditions prevent the Washington Capitals and Pittsburgh Penguins from playing the 2011 Winter Classic on New Year's Day, the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review reported.
The game is scheduled to begin at 1 p.m. ET on Saturday. The league says it has a "long window" in which to play the nationally televised outdoor game at the Pittsburgh Steelers' home stadium, according to the report.
Long-range weather forecasts aren't nearly as accurate as short-term forecasts. That being said, the long-range outlook for this weekend in Pittsburgh calls for unseasonably warm temperatures in the 40s and 50s and a chance of rain.
Warm temperatures would not pose an issue for the ice.
"We could have ice at 65 [degrees] as long as it is an overcast day," Dan Craig, the NHL's ice expert, told ESPN.com last week.
But steady rainfall might create problems, because the rain would not immediately freeze. That could either flood the rink or create uneven ice, which could pose a safety risk to the players.
"There are a lot of variables we have to balance to get where we want to be, and we are always keeping in mind players' safety," Craig said, according to the Tribune-Review.
If the game cannot be played outdoors this weekend, it will be rescheduled for later in the season at on the Penguins' home ice at Consol Energy Center, according to the report.
Live view of Heinz Field in Pittsburgh
, lol
