Flyers vs. Bruins at Lake Tahoe Rescheduled Due to Sunny Weather Forecast

The NHL has changed the start time for Sunday's outdoor game between the Philadelphia Flyers and Boston Bruins because of expected sunny conditions.

According to NHL.com's Dan Rosen, the second of two Lake Tahoe games this weekend has been changed from a 2 p.m. ET start to a 7:30 p.m. ET start Sunday. It will also air on NBCSN rather than NBC.

Per John Clark of NBC Sports Philadelphia, the NHL released the following statement on the change: "The decision was made to change the start time of Honda NHL Outdoors Sunday between the Bruins and Flyers in the interest of player safety due to Sunday's forecast of sunlight with no cloud cover and unseasonably warm temperatures."

The sun wreaked havoc on the ice during Saturday's game between the Colorado Avalanche and Vegas Golden Knights at Lake Tahoe in Stateline, Nevada, resulting in a delay following the first period.

Lake Tahoe is located on the border of California and Nevada, but since it is in a mountainous area, the temperature is normally low during the winter.

Per Weather.com, however, a high of 43 degrees is expected for Sunday, necessitating the Flyers-Bruins game's movement to later in the day when sun will be less of a factor.

The change was likely a result, in part, of the ice issues experienced during Saturday's contest.

Outdoor games have become a yearly tradition in the NHL. The first was the Heritage Classic in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada, in 2003. The league also started holding a yearly Winter Classic beginning in 2008, which was the year the Buffalo Sabres hosted the Pittsburgh Penguins at the Buffalo Bills' Stadium.

In more recent seasons, the NHL has added a Stadium Series and other events, increasing the number of outdoor games per year.

This latest planned Winter Classic did not take place because the start of the season was delayed and no fans would have been permitted to attend due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

To still provide fans with a unique outdoor experience, however, the NHL scheduled two games at a rink right next to Lake Tahoe with no fans in attendance.

While the temperatures and sun have caused problems, the location of Saturday's game made for a beautiful atmosphere within the wilderness.

Provided Sunday's game is played, it will be a big one, as the Flyers trail the Bruins by three points for first place in the East Division.