It’s a good thing if the ice melts in your backyard.
It’s no good if the ice melts on a hockey court.
NHL outdoor games have been a picturesque hit since they were introduced in 2008, but Saturday’s episode in Stateline, Nevada, near Lake Tahoe turned into a disaster due to dangerous ice conditions.
The game was postponed in the second period because players from the Las Vegas Golden Knights and Colorado Avalanche and the officials were unable to stay on their feet, even when skating slowly during timeouts. One video even showed a hockey stick digging up the ice like slush. The league announced that the game will resume at midnight with the Avalanche ahead 1-0 in the second period.
“You can’t be successful if you don’t risk failure,” NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman told broadcaster NBC Sports.
The sun-drenched, scenic backdrop for the game was overwhelming. The rink was set up on the 18th fairway of the golf course at the Edgewood Tahoe Resort, against the tree-lined shoreline with snow-capped mountains in the distant backdrop. An old-fashioned scoreboard hung on a brick wall.
But the sun and the temperature of 36 degrees interfered with safety. The resort would host a weekend doubleheader, including Bruins-Flyers on Sundays.
What has become a tradition of the NHL’s outdoor play of select games began in 2003 and became an annual exercise in 2008. Multiple games have been canceled or postponed for various reasons.