UNO Hockey Plays St. Cloud State During Blizzard To Help The Huskies Get Stranded on Minnesota Highway

As this weekend's blizzard approached, most people did the sensible thing. They stocked up on essentials. Plans were cancelled or rescheduled, in deference to the situation. As the storm hit, travel became impossible and authorities urged people to stay put.

Folks, we can't stress this enough. I80 will be shut down from Grand Island to Gretna. Please do NOT travel unless it's an emergency. This is a life threatening situation. Stay home and safe if you can. https://t.co/aujZmwNfaP

— NWS Omaha (@NWSOmaha) February 23, 2019

Except for UNO of course. Nevermind the weather outside, they decided to go ahead with their scheduled hockey game against St. Cloud State anyway. The Huskies' hotel is only a few blocks away from the arena, so might as well play.

In a nearly deserted arena.  The official attendance (i.e. tickets sold) was 4,267; a picture of the crowd suggested the actual attendance was probably closer to 267.  I didn't go, as did the vast majority of fans. It simply wasn't worth  the risk.

But why was the game played in the first place? I get that the teams were already here, but why not postpone the game until Sunday?  Perhaps it was because St. Cloud was in a hurry to get home.  Well, Mother Nature had some other ideas.  You see, that same blizzard was pretty much blasting the Huskies path home.  They made it as far as St. James, Minnesota when their bus got stuck.

Stuck between 2 huge drifts. Rations & fuel running low, toilet is filling up, 911 said; “It’s gonna take awhile.” Whatever that means. pic.twitter.com/keSfbSihjE

— Mike Gibbons (@gibhockey) February 24, 2019

Eventually, they got rescued, but with the roads closed all through Minnesota, they had to hunker down with the Watonwan County Sheriff's Department, according to assistant coach Mike Gibbons.

Boys enjoying county jail food. Not making this up. pic.twitter.com/JIDxtGFS0h

— Mike Gibbons (@gibhockey) February 24, 2019

Boys trying to dig our bus out Hockey Style. Didn’t work. pic.twitter.com/X9GO8MK1eT

— Mike Gibbons (@gibhockey) February 25, 2019

It's great that the team is in a good mood, and making the best of the situation, but I still go back to the original decision to play the game Saturday night.  Frankly, it was a reckless decision; the game should have been postponed until today. It was clear yesterday that the St. Cloud bus wasn't going anywhere last night, and frankly, it should have been expected that the route to St. Cloud would be dangerous today as well.

The smart thing to do would have been to postpone the game until today.  It would have been better for fans, and frankly, better for the players as well.  Better for the people who who had to work the game as well as the people trying to keep the roads clear Saturday night too.  But the smart thing wasn't done.

Why?