We're just over 24 hours away from the 2010 Bridgestone NHL Winter Classic with both teams feeling the flow.
The Boston Bruins are coming off a 4-0 shutout victory over the Atlanta Thrashers last night at the TD Garden. Likewise, the Philadelphia Flyers blanked the New York Rangers, 6-0, last night in preparation for the outdoor festivities. So both of these teams are riding the momentum and their adrenaline into Fenway Park on a high note.
However, Mother Nature may have something to say about it.
The weather in-and-around Fenway Park in Boston remains the same: A high of 36 degrees and a 70-percent chance of rain/snow,
Although the absolute last resort would be to push the event back to Jan. 2, the NHL plans on giving the fans sufficient notice in the event of it needing to be postponed.
Bruins' Vice President Cam Neely was on 98.5 FM The Sports Hub this Tuesday, discussing the potential weather delay, and what the NHL has in store.
"There's absolutely a contingency plan" Neely said. "They will give people plenty of notice if the NHL decides to have to push it back a day because of the weather...they are prepared for anything and everything.
"It's the ice surface, the concern for players' safety." Neely added. And when asked what it would take from Mother Nature for it to be postponed?
"A steady downfall of rain. A light rain throughout the course of a game, probably not a problem. But if you're talking about from that window from of say 11 or 12 o'clock all the way to 4pm, where it shows it's just going to be steady rain, that's when they'll probably decide that they have to do something."
Dan Craig, the NHL facilities operation manager echoed the same thing just a couple of days prior on the concern for the players.
"Our No. 1 focus is player safety and fan safety, coming in. That's our No. 1," said Craig. "And that's what we look at. That's why we look at the weather. That's why we try to figure out exactly what we're going to be doing on the operations side, making sure the ice is safe and what's going to be happening to people coming to the venue. We have three or four meetings every day and weather is the No. 1 topic. It's just read and react and see where we go."
Same time, same place, just on Saturday if need be. And the weather for Saturday? A high of 33 degrees with a 60-percent chance of snow. It looks like no matter what day they play this weekend, it's sure to be interesting.
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Comments
The Legends Game is Saturday the 2nd. I hope they have a contingency plan for the contingency plan:)
It will be great to watch A Steady Rain, i have bought tickets from
ticketfront.com looking forward to it.
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