BUFFALO, N.Y. — Three more of the Buffalo Sabres have been removed from the NHL's COVID-19 protocol list, with forwards Dylan Cozens and Curtis Lazar and defenseman Rasmus Ristolainen cleared on Tuesday night.
That leaves only forward Casey Mittelstadt, the eighth of nine Sabres added to the list on Feb. 7, in protocol.
Rasmus Dahlin was added the following day, Feb. 8, but confirmed he tested negative for the virus throughout his quarantine, when he returned to practice on Sunday.
Ristolainen was the first of two Sabres added to the protocol list, along with forward Taylor Hall, on Feb. 2. Hall returned to practice with the team on Saturday and played Monday night against the New York Islanders, in the Sabres 3-1 loss.
Three more players' removal confirms the Sabres, who haven't added a player to the protocol list in more than a week now, are on the mend from their COVID-19 outbreak.
After Hall and Dahlin returned over the weekend, forward Tobias Rieder and defensemen Jake McCabe and Brandon Montour were back practicing with the team at morning skate on Monday, ahead of the Sabres first game since Jan. 31 against the New Jersey Devils.
After back-to-back games against the New York Islanders Monday and Tuesday, the Sabres are on the road to play the Washington Capitals on Thursday night at 7 p.m.
