2 more teams shut down
Postponements and coronavirus problems for the NHL are coming at a dizzying and disquieting pace not seen since earlier in the pandemic.
The league shut down two more teams through the Christmas holiday break Friday, eager to avoid putting all 32 on pause amid worsening COVID-19 conditions across North America. A total of 20 NHL games have now been postponed, the majority of which have come in recent days, and roughly 10% of the 700-plus players are in the league’s virus protocol.
All games for the Colorado Avalanche and Florida Panthers have been postponed through at least next weekend, and the hard-hit Calgary Flames had their shutdown extended through the Dec. 24-26 holiday break.
While teams are reporting mostly asymptomatic or mild cases, the growing number of positive coronavirus tests is adding to concerns that the NHL will not send its players to the Winter Olympics in China and threatening to upend a schedule for a league that relies on cross-border travel, with seven teams in Canada.
“The fact that we only shut down two additional teams means we are trying to avoid a full league shutdown,” Deputy Commissioner Bill Daly said.
In a blow to a league that relies heavily on ticket revenue, four of five Canadian provinces that are home to NHL teams are limiting or will soon limit venue capacity to 50%. Only Alberta, home to the Oilers and Flames, had not announced such a restriction.
Jets coach quits: Winnipeg Jets coach Paul Maurice resigned, saying his longtime team needs to hear a “new voice.”
Maurice took over as Jets coach in January 2014 and was 315-223-62 behind the bench. He signed a multiyear extension in February 2020.
Winnipeg (13-10-5) had dropped three of four heading into Friday’s game against the Washington Capitals.
“This isn’t necessarily a bunch of negative things that stacked up on this,” Maurice said. “This was, I’ve pushed as long and as hard as I can here. I love these guys. They need a new voice, and I know that.”
Dave Lowry, an assistant under Maurice and the father of Jets forward Adam Lowry, agreed to serve as the interim coach for the rest of the season. Friday’s games: Jeff Carter redirected a centering pass from Kris Letang between the legs of Malcom Subban 2:53 into overtime to give the host Pittsburgh Penguins a 3-2 win over the Buffalo Sabres . ... Jonathan Marchessault scored in the third round of the shootout and the Vegas Golden
Knights won 3-2 over the host the New York Rangers for their fourth straight victory . ... Vladimir Tarasenko scored twice, Charlie Lindgren made 26 saves and the St. Louis Blues capped a home-and-home sweep against the visiting Dallas Stars with a 4-1 win . ... Tanner Jeannot scored in overtime, Thomas Novak and Colton Sissons also scored, and the visiting Nashville Predators beat the Chicago Blackhawks 3-2 for their seventh straight win . ... The Washington Capitols’ Vitek Vanecek made 40 saves and Michael Sgarbossa and Alex Ovechkin scored empty-net goals in the final 2:40 to seal the 5-2 win over the host Winnipeg Jets, spoiling the debut of new coach Lowry. ... Clayton Keller scored in overtime as the Arizona Coyotes beat the host Anaheim
Ducks 6-5.