BUFFALO, N.Y. — The Buffalo Sabres games are now postponed through Feb. 8, and the team's facilities will close immediately until further notice, after two players entered the NHL's COVID-19 protocols, the league announced Tuesday evening.
The announcement postpones the Sabres' next four scheduled games, with two on the road against the New York Islanders, followed by two more against the Boston Bruins.
The Sabres are coming off of back-to-back games, Saturday and Sunday, against the New Jersey Devils. Fourteen of the Devils players are currently in the league's COVID protocol, and at least five of those players were on the ice against the Sabres over the weekend.
The NHL's public relations Twitter account posted a statement:
"The National Hockey League announced today [Tuesday] that Buffalo Sabres games have been postponed at least through Feb. 8 as a result of two players entering the NHL's COVID protocols. The decision was made by the League's, NHLPA's and Club's medical groups, who determined that more caution was warranted while the League continues to analyze test results in the coming days."
"The team's training facilities have been closed, effective immediately, and will remain closed until further notice. The League is in the process of reviewing and revising the Sabres' regular season schedule and it is expected that a decision on next week's games will be made in the coming days. The Sabres' organization has, and will continue to follow, all recommended guidelines aimed at protecting the health and safety of its Players, staff and community at large as set by the NHL, local, state and national agencies."
Due to a winter storm in the northeast, the Sabres delayed their Monday flight for Tuesday night's game against the New York Islanders on Long Island until Tuesday morning.
The NHL postponed that game earlier Tuesday, saying a decision was made to postpone because of the flight change and as the league wanted to appropriately follow contact tracing and testing protocols.