Mats Zuccarello #36, Kirill Kaprizov #97, Kevin Fiala #22 and Joel Eriksson Ek #14 of the Minnesota Wild celebrate a goal against the Winnipeg Jets during the game at the Xcel Energy Center on October 19, 2021 in Saint Paul, Minnesota. (Bruce Kluckhohn / Getty Images)
MINNEAPOLIS - The Minnesota Wild was hoping to end a two-game losing skid against the Carolina Hurricanes Tuesday night at Xcel Energy Center, but the game has been postponed.
Fox 9 has confirmed with Wild team officials that the game is off due to COVID-19 issues with the Hurricanes among several players. According to Michael Russo with The Athletic, at least four Carolina players have tested positive on Tuesday, and two others never left Vancouver from their most recent game due to COVID-19 protocols.
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Carolina Hurricanes head coach on COVID in NHL
Hurricanes Head Coach Rod Brind’Amour discusses the COVID spread across the NHL following the team’s morning skate in Minnesota.
The Hurricanes would’ve had to play with a short-handed roster of 11 forwards and seven defensemen, due to COVID-19 protocols.
"It is what it is. Just trying to get by day to day right now," Carolina coach Rod Brind'Amour said after his team's morning skate at Xcel Energy Center. "They’re not getting sick, but they’re paying the price for it. Super frustrating, especially when it happens on the road and obviously in another country because there’s different rules. I feel for those guys because that’s super tough on them."
Brind'Amour was clearly frustrated after morning skate as COVID-19 is spreading throughout the team despite them being fully-vaccinated.
"I’m no expert obviously. You go on long road trips, all the sudden it pops up. You’re on a plane stuck together five to six hours at a time, this is where this stuff probably happens. I don’t know, I could be wrong. Now we’re on another long road trip and here we go. I don’t know what to tell you. Everyone did what we had to do, got vaccinated and did our part. I don’t know what else there is to do. It is what it is right now."
The Wild now has a night off, leading the Western Conference with 39 points, 28 games into the season. The Wild is 19-8-1 on the season, and is 10-2 at Xcel Energy Center. The Wild is next scheduled to host the Buffalo Sabres Thursday night.