The Penguins and the Flyers are primed to play at Lincoln Financial Field on Saturday, but inclement weather is threatening the NHL's Stadium Series. Rain is expected, and as we know, hockey isn't exactly meant to be played in the elements. The NHL may not have the experience with dealing with weather that MLB does, but it's trying to mitigate the weather factor as much as possible.
For staters, naturally, the game can be stopped at the discretion of commissioner Gary Bettman. The game could also be restarted if the weather breaks. If wind becomes a factor, things get more interesting. Teams could end up switching ends with 10 minutes in the third period to try to downplay the advantage, and the same could occur at a halfway point in a potential overtime.
The game can also be called after two periods, and the winner would get two points in the standings.
Shootouts also have an interesting wrinkle. If the weather allows it, the shootout could occur right after the game. Otherwise, it would be held at the Penguins' PPG Paints Arena on March 17 -- though the Flyers would be the home team.
It's a lot to digest, so hopefully the weather just decides to cooperate, although it might be more fun if it doesn't. If any fans follow hockey and not baseball, they're going to get a taste of what it's like to be baseball fans in March for a night as they keep one eye on the game and the other on a Doppler radar.
