COVID-19 issues among Carolina put two games on ice
The Panthers were supposed to play two road games against the Carolina Hurricanes on Thursday and Saturday. Health concerns forced their postponement.
The Florida Panthers’ schedule is changing again. Their games Thursday and Saturday against the Carolina Hurricanes — the first two of a six-game road trip — have been postponedbecause of COVID-19 concerns inside the Hurricanes organization. The NHL has not announced makeup dates.
The Panthers had originally planned to fly to Raleigh, North Carolina, on Wednesday afternoon, play Thursday and Saturday, then fly back to South Florida for a Sunday off day and Monday practice before setting outon the rest of the trip. The Panthers’ final four games on this swing include two at the Columbus Blue Jackets on Jan. 26 and Jan. 28 and two at the Detroit Red Wings on Jan. 30 and 31.
The Raleigh News & Observer’s Luke DeCock was first to report the postponement.
The NHL postponed the Hurricanes’ road game against the Nashville Predators on Tuesday “out of an abundance of caution to ensure the health and safety of players, coaches and game day personnel and in consultation with medical experts.”
Five Hurricanes players were on the NHL’s COVID protocol-related absences list Tuesday: forwards Warren Foegele, Jordan Martinook, Jordan Staal and Teuvo Teravainen as well as defenseman Jaccob Slavin.
This is the second time in the first 10 days of the 2021 NHL season that the Panthers have had their schedule altered. Florida’s first two games of the season against the Dallas Stars last week were postponed because of a COVID-19 outbreak inside the Stars organization.
By the end of this weekend, the Panthers will have played just two of their six originally scheduled games — two wins over the Chicago Blackhawks (5-2 on Sunday and 5-4 in overtime Tuesday).
The Stars postponements have alreadyprompted several changes to the Panthers’ schedule:
Florida’s home games ● against Dallas, originally set for last Thursday and
Friday to start the season, are now Feb. 22 and May 3.
The Panthers’ road
●
game against the Detroit Red Wings on Feb. 21 was moved up to Feb. 20.
A home game against
●
Dallas originally set forFeb. 23 was moved back to Feb. 24.
A road game against
●
the Tampa Bay Lightning was moved from May 4 to March 16.