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Kraken-Islanders game Saturday postponed due to weather-related state of emergency in New York

Seattle Kraken's Jared McCann (16) celebrates his goal with Marcus Johansson during the third period of an NHL hockey game against the Pittsburgh Penguins in Pittsburgh, Thursday, Jan. 27, 2022. The Kraken won in overtime 2-1. (Associated Press)
Geoff Baker Seattle Times

NEW YORK — A snow-related state of emergency has caused the Kraken’s game scheduled for Saturday against the New York Islanders to be postponed until Wednesday night.

New York Gov. Kathy Hochul declared the state of emergency Friday for a number of downstate counties, including New York and Long Island where the Islanders are based. A massive snowstorm was projected to hit the state Friday night through Saturday, coupled with high winds and frigid temperatures that will make getting around next to impossible.

“Here’s what I’m asking New Yorkers,” Hochul said in a televised address. “Just stay off the roads.”

The NHL has tried to avoid postponing more games unless absolutely necessary given the impact COVID-19 has already had on many matchups. But a league source said the fact the Kraken were already on the East Coast for a trip that was originally scheduled to end in Boston on Tuesday made it easier to tack the makeup Islanders game the next day before the team flies back to Seattle.

Saturday was to be the Kraken’s first trip to the new UBS Arena developed by Tim Leiweke and his Oak View Group — who also oversaw the $1.2 billion overhaul of what’s now Climate Pledge Arena.

The Kraken are coming off a thrilling, 2-1 overtime win in Pittsburgh on Thursday that halted the Penguins’ six-game winning streak and string of eight consecutive home victories. Coach Dave Hakstol’s team is on one of its best runs of the season, having won four of seven against some of the NHL’s tougher squads.

No word yet on what will happen with the Kraken’s game Sunday afternoon in Manhattan against the New York Rangers. Much will depend on the “bomb cyclone” storm itself, which is forecast to dump 8 to 12 inches on parts of New York with wind gusts up to 45 mph, making for possible snow drifts up to multiple feet.

Some reports said Long Island could be hit by 36 inches of snowfall this weekend, though forecasters still aren’t certain where the biggest mass of the storm will land.