The Warriors received the all-clear from the Western Hockey League to resume team activities on Saturday after being removed from COVID-19 protocols, bringing an end to a play stoppage that began on Tuesday, Jan. 4 and lasted five days.
Joining the Warriors in returning to action are the Regina Pats and Tri-City Americans, who were also shut down earlier this week.
The news wasn’t all good for the WHL, though, as the Vancouver Giants became the 16th team to pause activities since Christmas, meaning one of only two games left on the schedule for the weekend -- Portland at Vancouver on Sunday -- joined the long list of postponements.
On Friday, the WHL announced that 15 clubs had paused team activities as a result of multiple players and staff being added to the COVID-19 protocol list, due to testing positive or exhibiting symptoms related to the coronavirus.
Of the league’s 22 teams, only the Brandon Wheat Kings have escaped an outbreak in the Eastern Conference so far. The Swift Current Broncos and Lethbridge Hurricanes were both removed from COVID protocols on Friday, leaving the conference with five teams currently active.
Over in the Western Conference, the Seattle Thunderbirds, Portland Winterhawks and Kelowna Rockets are the only teams that remain in action.
The Warriors have seen four games postponed, including their Jan. 3 match-up in Winnipeg, Jan, 7 game in Lethbridge, Jan. 8 contest in Medicine Hat and Jan. 12 game at home against Medicine Hat.
The Warriors remind fans in a press release on Friday to hold all purchased tickets for those contests, as they will be honoured on the rescheduled date.
All four games scheduled for Tuesday, Jan. 11 were also postponed.
