NHL expects fantastic Stanley Cup Playoffs
Fans, home ice part of postseason again, travel restrictions among pandemic challenges by Nicholas J. Cotsonika @cotsonika / NHL.com Columnist
Normal? No, the 2021 Stanley Cup Playoffs will not be normal. Not quite.
The coronavirus pandemic is not over.
But there are signs normalcy is returning, like green shoots in spring.
Sixteen teams. Four rounds of best-of-7 series. Teams playing at home or traveling to their opponents cities. Fans in the stands, at least to varying degrees in the United States. COVID-19 protocols relaxed, at least for teams with 85 percent of the traveling party fully vaccinated.
The playoff matchup has been set for the Winnipeg Jets as the team will face the Edmonton Oilers in the first round, and now fans know when these teams will first clash.
Author of the article: Bruce McCurdy • Edmonton Journal
Publishing date: May 06, 2021 • 6 hours ago • 6 minute read • Vancouver Canucks goalie Thatcher Demko (35) makes a save on Edmonton Oilers forward Leon Draisaitl (29) as Canucks defenseman Nate Schmidt (88) and Oilers forward Connor McDavid (97) jostle in front of the net at Rogers Arena on Tuesday, March 4, 2021. Photo by Bob Frid /USA Today Sports
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Game Day 52: Vancouver at Edmonton
The Edmonton Oilers are home and cooled out in second place in the NHL’s Scotia North Division, 6 points behind first-place Toronto, 7 up on third-place Winnipeg in the dwindling days of the 2021 season.
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Frederik Andersen will play half a game for Toronto of the American Hockey League on Thursday, continuing to work his way back from a lower-body injury, Toronto Maple Leafs coach coach Sheldon Keefe said.