It brings the total of games postponed this season to 50, including 32 this week. The NHL and NHL Players' Association agreed Monday to postpone five games Thursday, the day before the holiday break was scheduled to begin.
The Tampa Bay Lightning defeated the Vegas Golden Knights 4-3 Tuesday in the final NHL game until Dec. 27.
With four games scheduled Wednesday already postponed because of COVID-19 concerns, the holiday break began after the Lightning-Golden Knights game. Under the revised schedule, all teams will be off from Wednesday to Saturday, including travel.
"I just think there's a lot of teams that are in a position or have to shut down. I would've preferred to keep playing," Pittsburgh Penguins captain Sidney Crosby said Tuesday. "You look at our two games (against the New Jersey Devils and Flyers scheduled for this week) and the teams' situations, possibly could have kept playing. But it's not up to us. So try to make the most of the break here and get ready."
On Monday, the NHL announced the Columbus Blue Jackets and Montreal Canadiens would be shut down through the holiday break. They were the eighth and ninth teams to be shut down through the break, joining the Detroit Red Wings, Toronto Maple Leafs, Boston Bruins, Nashville Predators, Calgary Flames, Colorado Avalanche and Florida Panthers.
On Sunday, the NHL announced that cross-border games would be postponed through the break, a decision made due to "the fluid nature of federal travel restrictions."
Players will report back to their team Sunday, which shall be used for testing, practice and/or travel only. Upon return from the holiday break to team facilities, no individual in the team's traveling party can enter the facility (other than for testing purposes) until they have a negative test result. Any practice scheduled for Sunday must begin after 2 p.m. local time.
There are 14 games on the NHL schedule Monday.
The NHL
announced new protocols
for teams and players Saturday and is in the process of reviewing and revising the regular-season schedule.
"There's nothing we can do about it," Dallas Stars captain Jamie Benn said after a 7-4 win against the Minnesota Wild on Monday. "I think the most important thing is the health and safety of the players and coaches and everyone involved with the organizations.
"Just taking it day by day. Hopefully the numbers go down and we can get back to hockey after Christmas."
Because of the games that have been postponed this season and the continuing uncertainty surrounding the pandemic, the NHL and NHLPA were actively discussing whether players should participate in the 2022 Beijing Olympics. An announcement was expected in the coming days.
The NHL had 55 games postponed last season; all were made up as part of a 56-game schedule.
NHL.com independent correspondents Jessi Pierce and Wes Crosby contributed to this report
