Four more Boston Bruins players have tested positive for COVID-19, causing the NHL to cancel Saturday’s 1 p.m. against the Buffalo Sabres at KeyBank Arena and Tuesday’s game against the New York Islanders at TD Garden.
The Bruins’ team facilities will be closed until at least Wednesday.
The NHL put out the following statement:
“The National Hockey League announced today, that as a result of four additional Boston Bruins Players entering the NHL’s COVID Protocols earlier today, the team’s games tomorrow against the Buffalo Sabres and Tuesday versus the New York Islanders will be postponed. Pending test results in the coming days, it is expected that the Bruins will be able to re-open their facilities for practice on Wednesday, March 24. The decision was made by the League’s, NHLPA’s and Club’s medical groups.
The Bruins’ organization has, and will continue to follow, all recommended guidelines aimed at protecting the health and safety of its Players, staff and community at large as set by the NHL, local, state and national agencies.”
The positive tests follow the announcement that forward Sean Kuraly had tested positive prior to
Thursday’s 4-1 win against Buffalo. The identities of the four players have not been revealed yet.
Kuraly’s positive test caused the Bruins to cancel their morning skate Thursday. The Sabres also canceled theirs due to a positive test by a staff member. That combination briefly put the game’s status in doubt. But after additional testing and contact tracing, it was determined to be safe to play.
Before that, the Bruins roster has been largely unaffected this season by COVID. Karsen Kuhlman missed time in the league’s protocols at the beginning of the season and Charlie Coyle and Jake DeBrusk each missed one game when they were held out of action for what proved to be false positives.
This is the third postponed game between the Bruins and last-place Sabres. Two February games were postponed when the Sabres had an outbreak.
It’s unclear whether the players who tested positive will stay in Buffalo or will be taken back to Boston.
Story by Matt Vautour, masslive.com