It’s been tough to really pack stadiums with the restrictions during the pandemic. They’ve been trying to fine-tune things but conditions haven’t been the best as far as playing outside. Here are the highlights:

• The setting was solid, but the ice conditions were subpar. The NHL had to halt the outdoor game between The Golden Knights and Avalanche on Saturday, February 20th, because the sunny conditions created holes in the ice and slippery conditions. 
• They’ve done 30 outdoor games. However, commissioner Gary Bettman told NBC, “The cloud cover is everywhere but where the sun is, and it did a number on the ice.”
• The game was halted after the first period at 12 pm PST. The ruling was that they were going to play at 9 pm PST. However, most of the players wanted to continue playing earlier despite the unfavorable conditions. 
• Crews were working on the ice before the face-off, but things just kept happening to prevent players from having the best situation possible for outdoor play.
• Bettman said that this type of thing has never happened before. They were fine in snow and ice, but the sun made things troublesome.
• This was a learning lesson for the NHL because they know now that playing on outdoor ice is risky. Bettman said, “The weather conditions can affect whether or not we can play the game.”
• Avalanche won against the Golden Knights 3-2. 
• Flyers coach Alain Vigneault said it best, “In this game, you have to learn how to adapt.”