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ANAHEIM (CNS) - The Anaheim Ducks are scheduled to resume play tonight following four coronavirus-related postponements by playing host to the Vancouver Canucks at Honda Center.
The game will be the Ducks' first since Dec. 17 when they lost to the Arizona Coyotes, 6-5, in overtime at Honda Center.
Their first postponement was announced Dec. 18 for a planned game at Calgary Dec. 21 because the Flames were being hit by a COVID-19 outbreak among their players, coaches and staff.
Games planned at Edmonton on Dec. 20 and Vancouver on Dec. 23 were postponed Dec. 19 when the NHL and its players union announced that all games involving a Canadian-based team playing a U.S.-based team through last Thursday's planned start of the holiday break would be postponed.
The NHL on Friday pushed the target date for resumption of games one day to Tuesday to allow the league an adequate opportunity to analyze league- wide coronavirus testing results and assess teams' readiness to play, resulting in the postponement of Monday's planned game against the San Jose Sharks at Honda Center.
The coronavirus has prompted the NHL to postpone 80 games, with one made up and one rescheduled.
The league announced Tuesday that the Detroit Red Wings at New York Islanders game scheduled for Wednesday had been postponed due to COVID-related issues affecting both clubs.
The NHL also announced Tuesday that due to current attendance restrictions in certain Canadian cities, nine additional games will be rescheduled for later in the season when such restrictions may be eased or lifted.
The NHL announced Dec. 22 that its players would not participate in the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics because of the disruption to the regular- season schedule caused by COVID-19 postponements. It had scheduled a break in the regular season from Feb. 3-22 to accommodate the 2022 Honda NHL All-Star Weekend in Las Vegas and the Olympics.
The All-Star Weekend remains scheduled as planned, with the 2022 NHL All-Star Skills set for Feb. 4 and All-Star Game for Feb. 5. The planned Feb. 6- 22 Olympic break will instead be used to reschedule postponed games.
The NHL and the NHL Players' Association agreed Sunday to allow teams to have a taxi squad with a maximum of six players available to be added to the roster to minimize the chance for further game postponements or teams having to play shorthanded.
Southern California's other NHL team, the Los Angeles Kings, resumed play Tuesday with a 6-3 loss to the Vegas Golden Knights at Crypto.com Arena following three coronavirus-related postponements.