PITTSBURGH — February in Pittsburgh doesn’t usually bring temperatures in the 50s and 60s, but crews preparing for Saturday’s outdoor Stadium Series game at Heinz Field told Severe Weather Team 11 Chief Meteorologist Stephen Cropper that they’re ready for anything.
“"It's one of those things that, we're going to make it happen and it happens," said Dan Craig with the National Hockey League.
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The Penguins will take on cross-state rivals, the Philadelphia Flyers, Saturday night. Game-time temperatures are forecasted to be in the 30s, but the colder air will come after a week of above-average warmth.
Crews have been pumping coolant through hundreds of feet of pipe onto the ice, which remains covered. They compared it to a refrigerator.
“That's why mom and dad always tell you keep the door closed, because you need to keep it cold. That's why we keep the tarps on," Craig said.
Crews will also have to keep an eye to the sky for rain on Saturday, which could affect the ice surface.
"We’ll go with our wand and then we'll go out with our machines and shave it out nicely, and then we're ready to go,” Craig said.
Game time is set for 8 p.m. on WPXI-TV Channel 11.