Boston Bruins GM Don Sweeney says the team is on schedule to return from its COVID-19 shutdown on Thursday night against the New York Islanders.
The game also would be the first pro sporting event in Massachusetts with paying fans in the crowd since last March.
The NHL on Friday postponed two Bruins games after four more Boston players entered the COVID protocol, for a total of five. They are: David Pastrnak, David Krejci, Sean Kuraly, Jake DeBrusk and Craig Smith. Games against the Buffalo Sabres on Saturday and the New York Islanders on Tuesday were to be rescheduled.
The Bruins continue to have five players listed since Friday.
Sweeney said the players were driven separately back to Boston from Buffalo after that game was postponed.
Assuming there are no more positive tests, the Bruins would play at the TD Garden with 12% capacity, or about 2,100 fans.
• The NHL postponed Edmonton’s game at Montreal after two Canadiens players were placed in the league’s COVID-19 protocol.
Forwards Joel Armia and Jesperi Kotkaniemi became Montreal’s first players to enter the protocol since the season began on Jan. 13.
The postponement of the game was the 38th overall this season for coronavirus-related reasons, and first to involve the seven-team all-Canadian North Division.
The league listed 10 players in the protocol, with the Los Angeles Kings still awaiting their test results. The 10 players listed matches the most since Feb. 21.
Rangers defenseman Brett Howden was placed in the protocol, joining teammate Phillip Di Giuseppe, who has been listed for nine straight days.
MONDAY’S GAMES
ISLANDERS 2, FLYERS 1: Anthony Beauvillier scored on a wraparound 3:41 into overtime to give New York a win at Philadelphia.
Ilya Sorokin made 36 saves and increased his club-record streak for a rookie to eight straight victories. Oliver Wahlstrom also scored for the East Division-leading Islanders.
New York has won 11 of 13.
Oskar Lindblom scored for the slumping Flyers, who lost for the eighth time in 12 games.
HURRICANES 3, BLUE JACKETS 0: Martin Necas scored in his 100th NHL game, Alex Nedeljkovic earned his second career shutout and visiting Carolina ended a three-game losing streak.
Brady Skjei added his first goal of the season and Jesper Fast also scored.
RANGERS 5, SABRES 3: Chris Kreider scored twice, including the tie-breaking goal in the third period, and New York handed visiting Buffalo its 14th straight loss.
Kaapo Kakko also scored twice and Adam Fox had a goal and two assists as the Rangers won for the fourth time in six games by beating the Sabres for the 10th time in the last 13 meetings. Artemi Panarin had three assists and Ryan Strome added two.
SENATORS 2, FLAMES 1: Chris Tierney scored the tie-breaking goal late in the third period and Filip Gustavsson stopped 35 shots in his first NHL start, leading Ottawa to a win at home.
WILD 2, DUCKS 1: Ryan Suter and Nick Bjugstad scored, Cam Talbot made 24 saves and Minnesota returned home to beat Anaheim Ducks.
Bjugstad scored his fifth goal of the season 3:42 into the third period to break a 1-all tie as Minnesota set a franchise record with its ninth straight win on home ice.
Troy Terry scored for Anaheim, which has lost 6 of 7. Ryan Miller made 21 saves in his fifth consecutive start for the Ducks.
The Wild were back home following a road trip to Colorado in which they were outscored 11-1 in two games.