NASHVILLE — The Nashville Predators postponed home games scheduled for Friday and Saturday because of a water main break that soaked Bridgestone Arena.
Hours after the Predators decided they couldn't play Friday's game against the Colorado Avalanche, which was scheduled for 2 p.m. Eastern, the team announced Saturday night's game against the Columbus Blue Jackets had also been postponed. Makeup dates for both will be announced later.
The NHL said the water main break that occurred Friday morning "significantly impacted the event level" of Bridgestone Arena. Team locker rooms and the ice surface are on that level at the downtown venue.
Sean Henry, president and CEO of the Nashville franchise, told reporters water in the event level ranged from 3 inches to 3 feet.
"We're assessing it right now. We're remediating it," Henry said. "The good thing is, the water got shut off, the city responded in a pretty fast manner. I don't think anyone is ready for things like this the Friday after Thanksgiving."
Video posted by a WTVF-TV reporter shows the water puddled up on the main floor's concourse area and the team store. The team was forced to close the store until further notice, pointing shoppers online for Black Friday specials.
The next game on the schedule for the Predators is now against the visiting Anaheim Ducks at 8 p.m. Eastern on Tuesday. Nashville entered Friday sixth in the Central Division standings at 20 points but having won six times in the past 10 games.
The water main break also resulted in a switch to a different venue for Friday's NCAA Division I men's hockey game between Northeastern and Western Michigan. They had been scheduled to play at Bridgestone Arena as part of the Music City Classic, but the college matchup was moved some 15 miles to Ford Ice Center Bellevue in West Nashville.