Lightning-Stars game Saturday postponed due to frigid conditions, power outages in Dallas

DALLAS (AP) — The NHL game between Tampa Bay and Dallas scheduled for Saturday has been postponed, marking four straight home games for the Stars to be called off because of frigid conditions and power outages in Texas.

The postponement announced Thursday also means the first four meetings between the teams from last season’s Stanley Cup Final have been been postponed.

The NHL said the decision to postpone was made after consultation with city and state officials. Dallas Mayor Eric Johnson was among the first to encourage the club to postpone games as the city struggled with outages. The first two postponements were Monday and Tuesday against Nashville.

The defending champion Lightning and Stars were supposed to play twice in the first week of the season before COVID-19 issues with the Stars forced them to postpone their first four games. Two meetings in Dallas were called off by the weather.

Dallas now has eight games that need to be rescheduled. The next scheduled game for the Stars is Monday at Florida, the start of five road games in eight days. Two of those scheduled games are against Tampa Bay.