Is Chicago Blackhawks vs. Buffalo Sabres canceled? All you need to know about latest travel ban and snowstorm

The anticipated clash between the Chicago Blackhawks and Buffalo Sabres scheduled for tonight has been postponed, leaving hockey fans wondering why the decision was made.

NHL insider Chris Johnston shed light on the situation, reporting:

"The NHL has postponed tonight's Sabres-Blackhawks game to tomorrow at 7 p.m. because of local travel restrictions in Buffalo due to a massive snowstorm."

Whiteout conditions caused by Lake Effect Snow have rendered travel nearly impossible on several Western New York roadways. A travel advisory is currently in effect for all of Erie County and South Buffalo. Additionally, certain areas are under a travel ban, including:

1. South of Broadway in the City of Buffalo
2. Cheektowaga
3. Sloan
4. Depew
5. Hamburg
6. Blasdell
7. Orchard Park
8. West Seneca
9. Lackawanna
10. Lancaster

Both teams have problems traveling through the weather conditions in Buffalo because of the unpredictable climate, and their game must be rescheduled because local travel restrictions came into force. The Buffalo Sabres’ players checked in at a downtown hotel to ensure they could get safely to the arena.

One significant problem that complicates the delay is the nationwide television coverage of this game on TNT in the USA. A rescheduling decision impacts the logistics of involved teams and has ramifications for other aspects, such as scheduling programs. Moreover, the Chicago Blackhawks must get home to host the New York Islanders on Friday, which makes it even more complicated.

Originally slated for a faceoff at 7:30 p.m. ET on TNT, the game will be played tomorrow at 7 p.m. ET to allow for needed changes due to inclement weather conditions.

Chicago Blackhawks' recent 2-1 win over Sharks

On Tuesday night, the Chicago Blackhawks beat the San Jose Sharks 2-1 in a hard-fought contest by shootout. The ninth round of the shootout witnessed a victory for Chicago due to Boris Katchouk, which proved successful despite both sides failing to score in the overtime period.

The victory was spearheaded by Petr Mrazek, the Blackhawks’ goaltender, who had an outstanding night with 37 saves and a clutch stop against Filip Zadina of San Jose to seal the win. Mrazek’s outstanding performance came in a fourth successive game, conceding two goals or less.

Both teams fought offensive battles in the matchup, with Chicago ending a three-game skid and San Jose losing its third straight game and 15th in its last sixteen contests. The Blackhawks took the lead through a power-play goal by Cole Guttman, but Ryan Carpenter replied for San Jose.