Winnipeg Jets Stranded In Duluth, Return To Canada Amid Blizzard
MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) -- The historic April blizzard caused problems for an NHL team Saturday.
The Winnipeg Jets and the Minnesota Wild are set to play Game 3 of the first round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs at Xcel Energy Center Sunday, but the Jets had trouble making it to the Twin Cities.
While Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport shut down all operations for hours Saturday night, the Jets rerouted their flight to Duluth, hoping to drive down to St. Paul in the evening. That, of course, was a plan doomed for failure -- nearly 1 to 2 inches of snow poured down each hour in the Twin Cities. Late that evening, the team decided to head back to Winnipeg. They caught another flight Sunday morning and made it to MSP before noon.
The 10 to 12 inches of snow in St. Paul also forced the Wild to cancel the traditional pregame playoffs party outside Xcel Energy Center Sunday afternoon. Thomas Maher of the Minnesota Wild did say the party would be back as scheduled before Tuesday's Game 4.
Fans are encouraged to check road conditions and take weather advisories into consideration before heading out to the game.
