16 of Canucks’ 22 players land on virus protocol list
The Vancouver Canucks’ season has been halted by the COVID19 pandemic.
Sixteen of the 22 players on the Canucks’ active roster were on the NHL’s protocol list with Sunday’s addition of forward Marc Michaelis and defenseman Jalen Chatfield. A member of the coaching staff had also been affected.
Canada’s Postmedia first reported that the more infectious Brazil coronavirus variant has been found among several of the Canucks’ cases.
The Canucks are off the ice at least until Tuesday and have had four games postponed.
A player on the COVID19 protocol list has not necessarily tested positive. The league requires individuals with positive tests to selfisolate for 10 days, and for close contacts to selfisolate for two weeks.
Vancouver’s postponed game against Winnipeg on Tuesday will be the 45th pushed back by COVID19, with the first 37 in the NHL’s three U.S. divisions.
The Canucks are scheduled to be in Calgary on both Thursday and Saturday.
Hurricanes 1, Stars 0: Petr Mrazek made 28 saves in his first game back after a two-month absence as host Carolina beat Dallas. Jordan Martinook scored in the second period. Stars coach Rick Bowness didn’t return to the bench for the third period because of what the team said was a COVID protocol.
Coyotes 3, Ducks 2: Jakob Chychrun scored his third goal 1:47 into overtime and visiting Arizona came back to beat Anaheim. It was the first career hat trick for Chychrun.
Maple Leafs 4, Flames 2: Auston Matthews and John Tavares each had a goal and an assist for visiting Toronto. Michael Hutchinson made 32 saves. Calgary is 5-8-0 since Darryl Sutter took over as head coach.
Red Wings 5, Lightning 1: Thomas Greiss made 27 stops to lead Detroit to its first win in Tampa, Fla., in nearly six years. Mark Staal, Valterri Filppula, Michael Rasmussen, Darren Helm and Dylan Larkin scored for the Red Wings, who had lost 17 consecutive games in Tampa.
Capitals 5, Devils 4: Alex Ovechkin moved into a second-place tie on the all-time list for NHL power-play goals and visiting Washington swept the eight-game season series. Ovechkin’s second-period goal was his 265th with the extra man, tying him with Brett Hull for second and leaving him nine behind Dave Andreychuk (274).
Panthers 3, Blue Jackets 0: Aleksander Barkov had a goal and an assist, Chris Driedger got his third career shutout and host Florida won its sixth straight to take sole possession of the Central Division lead.