Capitals, Wizards games postponed indefinitely because of blizzard conditions

The game between the Washington Capitals and Anaheim Ducks was postponed indefinitely by the NHL four hours before it was supposed to begin on Friday over concerns regarding a blizzard that was to move through the region that afternoon.

When that game would be made up remains uncertain. The Ducks were set to begin a three-game road trip against the Capitals, with a game against the Detroit Red Wings scheduled for Saturday and one against the Boston Bruins set for Tuesday. Anaheim makes two additional trips to the East Coast this season — one in early February, one in mid-March — but shoehorning a game against the Capitals into that rigid schedule would be unlikely.

Teams were informed of the decision to postpone the game shortly before it was made public by the league; the Ducks’ support staff had already begun removing equipment from the visitors’ locker room at Verizon Center and was taking it to a loading dock on the other side of the arena when the public was informed. Anaheim was trying to arrange a flight to Detroit from Dulles International Airport on Friday afternoon.

The league had already decided to move the start of the game, originally scheduled for 7 p.m., up two hours to allow those required or wishing to attend it a greater chance of getting home on time. Public transportation was also a factor, as the Washington Area Metropolitan Transit Authority had announced on Thursday that bus service would be suspended Friday afternoon and subway service would end for the weekend on Friday night.

Whether the Capitals’ game against the Pittsburgh Penguins, scheduled for Sunday at 12:30 p.m., is played as schedule also remains to be seen. The NHL, in announcing the postponement of the game between the Capitals and Ducks on Friday, said it would make a determination on the following game, which is scheduled to be televised nationally on NBC, no later than Saturday afternoon.

A decision to postpone the Washington Wizards’ game against the Utah Jazz, scheduled for Saturday night, was made approximately 45 minutes before the NHL’s announcement. The new date of that game also remains uncertain.