It’s not often you can attend a hockey game and sit through a rain delay, but fans at the 2017 Winter Classic might be facing that unfortunate prospect Monday.
The St. Louis Blues host the Chicago Blackhawks at Busch Stadium in the annual outdoor game, and there’s at least the threat of some bad weather, notably rain and warm weather, neither of which are conducive to outdoor hockey games.
The NHL already made the decision to leave the start time — shortly after 1 p.m. ET — as is, but there’s still a chance for wet weather. If that happens, things get a little dicey, as the NHL announced Monday.
“Once the game has begun, it may be subject to one or more temporary stoppages due to unplayable weather conditions, at the discretion of the Commissioner,” the NHL said in a press release.
Here’s what else could happen if there’s a Winter Classic rain delay:
“Period and game format may be reconfigured to accommodate temporary stoppages as determined appropriate by the Commissioner. In the event of high winds at the ice surface, the clubs will switch ends at the 10:00 minute mark of the third period as signaled by a ‘hard whistle.’ The faceoff will take place where the play was whistled dead. This identical procedure will take place at the 2:30-minute mark of an overtime period, if needed.
“In the event of a shootout, each club will determine what end they prefer to defend, which could be the same end. If the game is started, then stopped permanently due to unplayable weather conditions, it will be deemed ‘official’ once two periods have been played. The team leading at the time play is stopped will be declared the winner and will be awarded two points in the standings.
“If the game is tied at the time play is stopped permanently, any time after two periods of play, each team will be awarded one point in the standings, with an opportunity to earn an additional point in a standard shootout format. If weather conditions permit, the shootout will be conducted at Busch Stadium immediately after regulation play has been stopped.
“If weather conditions make it impossible to conduct a shootout safely at Busch Stadium, the shootout will take place at United Center on Sunday, February 26 prior to the regularly scheduled St. Louis-Chicago game, with St. Louis deemed the home club for shootout purposes only.
” If the game is started, and stopped permanently due to unplayable weather conditions, and fewer than two periods of regular time has been played, the game will be officially ‘postponed’ and, if possible, will be played in its entirety at Busch Stadium on Tuesday, January 3. If the game cannot be replayed at Busch Stadium on January 3, it will be rescheduled at Scottrade Center for a date to be determined later in the season.”
Thumbnail photo via Jerry Lai/USA TODAY Sports Images
