NHL postpones Monday's Canadiens-Oilers game; Armia, Kotkaniemi enter COVID-19 protocol

MONTREAL -- The Montreal Canadiens' Monday night matchup against the Edmonton Oilers has been postponed.

In a statement, the National Hockey League attributed the postponement to two Canadiens players entering the league's COVID-19 protocols.

The league did not initially identify the two players, but Canadiens forwards Joel Armia and Jesperi Kotkaniemi were both added to the league's COVID protocols list. 

It's the first game to be postponed this season in the NHL's North Division, which is comprised of all the Canadian teams. So far this season, 43 games have been postponed, with 38 of those due to COVID protocol and five due to weather. 

The NHL is scheduled to provide an update on the situation on Tuesday.  

Puisque les noms de deux joueurs des Canadiens ont été ajoutés à la liste du protocole de la COVID de la LNH plus tôt aujourd’hui, le match de ce soir face aux Oilers sera reporté.

La Ligue fournira une mise à jour demain. https://t.co/gGAfA53Z0o

— Canadiens Montréal (@CanadiensMTL) March 22, 2021

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  Edmonton Oilers' Devin Shore (14) skates past as Montreal Canadiens' Nick Suzuki (14), Shea Weber (6) and Jeff Petry (26) celebrate a goal during first period NHL action in Edmonton on Saturday, January 16, 2021. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jason Franson