Photo: Chris Gordon

Sunday’s game against the Pittsburgh Penguins has been postponed due to a small weather event. This should come as no surprise.

When you woke up this morning, you may have noticed up to 18 inches of snow outside your door. When I stepped outside, there was a near whiteout with the trees swinging heavily in the wind. And there’s more coming. According to The Washington Post’s Capitol Weather Gang the snow won’t stop until early Sunday morning. By then 18 to 30 inches may be on the ground. Wind gusts are expected to reach 50 miles per hour. Roads are impassable, but that doesn’t matter because your car is buried in white fluff. The entire Metro Transit system has been shut down. All of the area’s airports — Dulles, National, and BWI — are closed, making it impossible for the Penguins to get here anyway. There was absolutely no way this game could have been played.

The news comes just a day after Friday’s game against the Anaheim Ducks was also postponed due to the storm. So far the Capitals are not refunding anyone’s money, simply saying they will honor tickets for the original games when the TBA make-ups are played. The earliest the Caps will hit the ice again is Monday for a practice at Kettler, though that skate may be cancelled or delayed as the area digs itself out. The NHL also postponed Saturday’s Flyers-Islanders game in Brooklyn because of the weather.

Here’s the press release from the National Hockey League:

NEW YORK (Jan. 23, 2016) – The game between the Pittsburgh Penguins and Washington Capitals at Verizon Center scheduled for Sunday, Jan. 24, NHL Game No. 720, has been postponed due to the severe snowstorm impacting the Washington, D.C., area.

A makeup date will be announced as soon as it can be confirmed.