SUDBURY, Ont. – The Northern Ontario Junior Hockey League announced Friday evening that this weekend’s pair of regular season contests between the Soo Thunderbirds and the Blind River Beavers are to be rescheduled to a later date.
This comes about after earlier in the week, a trio of Blind River players had displayed a number of COVID-related symptoms and in turn followed protocols to isolate for the time being.
They have also gone for testing and while awaiting those results to return, the NOJHL has decided, in an abundance of caution, to call off the two games and play them at a later date.
After being informed of the situation, the league instructed both clubs to institute protocols and procedures by isolating, stay home and not to practice or hold any other team-related activities until the test results were completed and returned.
“We have obligations and responsibilities to all the communities, players, officials and everyone associated to league to do the right thing and we’ve done just that,” stated league commissioner Robert Mazzuca.
“All the protocols are being stringently followed and we continue to work closely with Algoma Public Health as we await the complete results of the COVID testing,” added Mazzuca.
“In the meantime, we wait, as the health and safety of everyone involved remains paramount above all else.”
The Thunderbirds and Beavers were to have played Saturday night in Sault Ste. Marie and Sunday afternoon in Blind River.
New dates and start times will be released by the NOJHL once finalized.
