Bruins-Sabres Game Thursday Still On To Be Played As Scheduled

For now, the Boston Bruins and Buffalo Sabres will go on as scheduled.

The two sides are scheduled to play each other for the first time this season Thursday night. However, things started trending in the wrong direction in the morning. Both teams called off their morning skates, the Bruins because of a player landing in the COVID-19 protocols, the Sabres because a staff member was put in the protocols.

But the two sides announced around 1:30 p.m. ET that after doing rapid testing, the game for now will go on as scheduled. The two sides also are scheduled to play Saturday afternoon.

The Bruins and Sabres actually were scheduled to play earlier in the season, but that was postponed due to coronavirus issues with Buffalo. Boston has had players (Charlie Coyle and Jake DeBrusk) end up in the protocols in each of the last two weeks, but both times it was a false positive, so their stay on the list was short-lived.

It’s also worth noting that landing in the COVID-19 protocols does not necessarily mean a positive test. It can also mean somebody was deemed a close contact with a person who later tested positive.

The Bruins have been on the road since Sunday, having played a back-to-back Monday and Tuesday against the Pittsburgh Penguins.