London Nationals postpone three games after two players test positive for COVID-19
The London Nationals of the Greater Ontario Junior Hockey League (GOJHL), plan to postpone the next three scheduled games after two players tested positive for COVID-19.
"The boys were out on a road trip last week and on Saturday, one of our players had a bit of a headache," said Tony Mandarelli, the general manager of the Nationals. "He did a rapid test, and that came back positive, so he went and got a PCR test and he came back positive."
That player is feeling fine but has been sent back to his home in Toronto to quarantine. In London, he lives with multiple students so the entire team went to get tested and also let the GOJHL know what was happening.London Nationals General Manager, Tony Mandarelli speaks to CTV News at Western Fair Sports Centre in London, Ont., Dec. 8, 2021. (Brent Lale / CTV News)"We have our policies in place but they reached out to the local health unit," said Brent Garbutt, commissioner of the GOJHL. "They were doing everything they were supposed to... then they ended up having a practice yesterday, and they were doing another round of testing."
After Tuesday's round of testing, the Nationals got more bad news.
"Everyone came back negative except for one player," says Mandarelli. "So we sent him home and he will go to get a PCR test now."
The GOJHL discussed with its Chief Medical Officer of Health the next steps moving forward.
The Nationals say they have decided to postpone their games Wednesday, Friday and Sunday.
"Our ownership group and management, decided that we'd probably be safer for us as an organization to make sure that we keep our kids safe," said Mandarelli. "We want to get this over with as soon as possible and get back to normal next week, practice Tuesday and Wednesday. So we decided that this was in the best interest of our team and the teams that we are going to be playing."
Mandarelli says by the time this weekend will be over, the quarantine period will be almost over for the first player, but they will “keep an eye on this week.”
The Nationals also had a third player test positive, but that player wasn't with the team at the time, so there has been no contact with other players.
Garbutt says the league is dealing with COVID-19 on a case-by-case basis and this is the first time there have been any positive cases in the regular season, which started on Sept. 24, 2021.GOJHL Commissioner Brent Garbutt, speaks via Zoom to CTV News, Wednesday Dec. 8, 2021. (Brent Lale / CTV News)"Luckily we have a medical expert who’s got tremendous expertise and he's able to help guide us on what we need to do to be to keep everybody safe," said Garbutt. "From a league perspective, we had some concerns, as did London of course and they're worried about their own team and we're worried about two teams playing tonight, so we just didn't want to take that chance."
Garbutt says there could possibly be more positive cases coming after Tuesday's result, so out of an abundance of caution, they postponed Wednesday's game between the top two teams in the league.
The Leamington Flyers are also getting PCR tests as they were the Nationals opponent last week when the first player tested positive for COVID-19.
The Nationals will be tested again Thursday.
Everyone involved in the GOJHL had to be fully vaccinated to take part in the 2021-22 season.
"When you are double-vaccinated, having that makes a big difference," said Mandarelli.
Any games postponed will be made up later in the regular season.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Senate expenses climbed to $7.2 million in 2023, up nearly 30%
Senators in Canada claimed $7.2 million in expenses in 2023, a nearly 30 per cent increase over the previous year.
Pedestrian, baby injured after stroller struck and dragged by vehicle in Squamish, B.C.
Police say a baby and a pedestrian suffered non-life-threatening injuries after a vehicle struck a baby stroller and dragged it for two blocks before stopping in Squamish, B.C.
Tom Mulcair: Park littered with trash after 'pilot project' is perfect symbol of Trudeau governance
Former NDP leader Tom Mulcair says that what's happening now in a trash-littered federal park in Quebec is a perfect metaphor for how the Trudeau government runs things.
Demonstrators kicked out of Ontario legislature for disruption after failed keffiyeh vote
A group of demonstrators were kicked out of the legislature after a second NDP motion calling for unanimous consent to reverse a ban on the keffiyeh failed to pass.
RCMP uncovers alleged plot by 2 Montreal men to illegally sell drones, equipment to Libya
The RCMP says it has uncovered a plot by two men in Montreal to sell Chinese drones and military equipment to Libya illegally.
Government agrees to US$138.7M settlement over FBI's botching of Larry Nassar assault allegations
The U.S. Justice Department announced a US$138.7 million settlement Tuesday with more than 100 people who accused the FBI of grossly mishandling allegations of sexual assault against Larry Nassar in 2015 and 2016, a critical time gap that allowed the sports doctor to continue to prey on victims before his arrest.
BREAKING Canucks goalie Thatcher Demko won't play in Game 2
The Vancouver Canucks will be without all-star goalie Thatcher Demko when they face the Nashville Predators in Game 2 of their first-round playoff series.
Man wanted in connection with deadly shooting in Toronto tops list of most wanted fugitives in Canada
A 35-year-old man wanted in connection with the murder of Toronto resident 29-year-old Sharmar Powell-Flowers nine months ago has topped the list of the BOLO program’s 25 most wanted fugitives across Canada, police announced Tuesday.
Doctors ask Liberal government to reconsider capital gains tax change
The Canadian Medical Association is asking the federal government to reconsider its proposed changes to capital gains taxation, arguing it will affect doctors' retirement savings.