Here's a hockey trivia question with an answer from San Jose: has an NHL game, played indoors on ice, ever been called off because of rain?
March 10, 1995
Yes, according to a San Jose Spotlight fact brief. The Sharks were scheduled to host the Detroit Red Wings on Friday, March 10, 1995, at what was then San Jose Arena. Heavy rain flooded the Guadalupe River next to the arena, and the NHL postponed the game. A wire report published the next day in The Spokesman-Review said the league cited the rain and flooding "in the interests of safety." "The game was postponed after consultation between the City of San Jose, the Sharks and the NHL," the league said.
How bad was it?
San Jose Spotlight reports that more than 3.5 inches of rain fell on San Jose from March 9 to 10, 1995. The Guadalupe River jumped its banks and flooded the arena entrances and parking lot, plus an area that stretched past Highway 87. The Hotel De Anza was flooded, and so was Henry's Hi-Life, which reportedly filled with 4 feet of water. Adjusted for inflation, the flood cost the city $5.4 million in damages.
The makeup game
The game was rescheduled for April 5, and the Sharks lost 5-3, according to the fact brief. From 1997 through 2001, the Guadalupe River flood control project worked to improve the river's flood protection and natural habitat. With forecasters warning about a strong El Niño this winter, it's a good moment to remember the night the river beat the ice.