Massive Buffalo-area snowstorm affects San Jose Sharks travel plans

The San Jose Sharks canceled their plans to fly into Buffalo on Saturday night as a powerful snowstorm in Western New York has caused the state’s governor to issue a full travel ban and forced the closure of the area’s biggest airport.

New York Gov. Kathy Hochul on Saturday declared that a full travel ban for Erie County would go into effect at 9 p.m. (EST) when a storm that’s projected to bring up to two feet of snow is expected to blanket the Buffalo region over 24 hours.

By Saturday morning, nearly every arriving flight into Buffalo Niagara International Airport had already been canceled.

The Sharks initially planned to leave Ottawa on Saturday evening right after their game with the Senators, which wasn’t going to end until 6:30 p.m. or later. A direct flight from Ottawa to Buffalo takes less than one hour, and a Sharks spokesman said earlier Saturday that the team expected to arrive before 9 p.m.

Those plans changed, however, as the airport was closed to travel by local authorities, per a Sharks spokesman, who added that the team will remain in Ottawa overnight.

The Sharks are still scheduled to play the Buffalo Sabres at noon (EST) on Monday.

The powerful storm led the NFL on Saturday to push back the Buffalo Bills’ wild-card playoff game against the Pittsburgh Steelers from Sunday to Monday at 4:30 p.m. (EST).

Because of that change, the Sharks’ game against the Buffalo Sabres was moved up from 1 p.m.

“The decision to move the game to Monday was made in consultation with New York Gov. Kathy Hochul in the best interest of public safety,” the NFL and Bills said in a joint statement, “and with the Buffalo Bills and the Pittsburgh Steelers, as the region prepares for the storm.”