PHILADELPHIA -- Come heck or high water, possibly the latter, the NHL is determined to get its Stadium Series game between the Flyers and Penguins in at 8 p.m. tonight.
The league announced this afternoon that the nationally-televised game on NBC, which has playoff implications for both sides, is still on at its regularly scheduled time at Lincoln Financial Field.
Despite a forecast for the City of Brotherly Love that calls for a 100 percent chance of rain, the league said in a statement that there is a window to get the game in under playable conditions. The league also announced a series of weather-related contingencies should play be delayed or halted:
One other thing, if you're attending tonight's game, leave your umbrella in the car. They are not permitted in the stadium.
Speaking on the condition of anonymity on Thursday, one Penguins player said he'd been told that the game would be played Sunday. NBC has a 6 p.m. time slot to air the Blues-Wild game that is scheduled to air on NBCSN. If Penguins-Flyers were moved, that would have seemed a likely spot.
However, this morning the National Weather Service complicated matters by issuing a high-wind watch for Philadelphia starting at 6 p.m. Sunday and running through Monday afternoon. Winds are expected to reach 20-30 mph and gusts could reach anywhere from 30-45 mph. Given that forecast, the league likely determined that some rain is far better than high wind.
The Wells Fargo Center, also located in the South Philadelphia Sports Complex and home of the Flyers, was not a viable option. It will host a 76ers-Trail Blazers NBA game Saturday at 1 p.m. and a Michael Buble concert on Sunday night. However, should the game be rescheduled at a later date, it will be held at Wells Fargo Center.
MATT SUNDAY GALLERY
Penguins, Flyers practice at Lincoln Financial Field, Philadelphia, Feb. 22, 2019 - MATT SUNDAY / DKPS