World Juniors: USA forfeits game versus Switzerland after 2 positive COVID-19 tests
Defending World Juniors champion Team USA has forfeited its game against Switzerland scheduled for Tuesday afternoon after two players tested positive for COVID-19.
The game was scheduled for 2:30 p.m. MT in Red Deer. American coach Nate Leaman was slated to hold a media availability on Tuesday morning but it was cancelled shortly before it was scheduled to start.
- World Juniors: 5 positive tests as play gets underway on Boxing Day
- Red Deer rides again as World Juniors host after 27-year absence
- Welcome (back) to Alberta's COVID-19 World Juniors
The International Ice Hockey Federation has said that any game that cannot be made up at a later date will be considered a forfeit. The game will be entered as a 1-0 win for the Swiss and will not be rescheduled.
Team USA will enter quarantine for more testing and contact tracing. The IIHF says the team's quarantine status will be evaluated later to determine if it will be able to play its next games against Sweden on Wednesday and Russia on Friday.
In a statement, general manager John Vanbiesbrouck said the team was "extremely disappointed" in having to forfeit, noting "we're operating in an ever-changing landscape and that's very challenging."
"We've followed the tournament protocol from the outset and will continue to do everything we can to ensure our players have the opportunity to compete."
The American, Russian and Swiss teams all hold 1-1 records with three points each through two games.
The Americans defeated Slovakia 3-2 on Sunday.
The Swiss opened their schedule on Monday with a 4-2 defeat to Russia. The team is without star centre and captain Simon Knak after he tested positive for COVID-19 in the days prior to the tournament.
Team Switzerland is slated to play Slovakia on Thursday and Sweden on Friday.
The fourth-placed team in Group B is likely to face a quarterfinal matchup against one of Canada or Finland.
On Monday, the IIHF announced that this year’s tournament would not have the usual relegation round due to the possibility of COVID-19-caused forfeits.
The tournament has a scheduled off day on New Year’s Day before the quarterfinals begin with all four games scheduled for Jan. 2, 2022.
The IIHF announced five positive tests in the days before the tournament, including Swiss player Knak, Austrian Senna Peeters and an unknown Finnish player. Two game officials also tested positive ahead of the opening game.
Peeters missed his team's game on Monday but is expected to return for Tuesday's night game against Canada in Edmonton.
Last year’s event was played in a bubble, but was still impacted by COVID-19.
A number of Swedish players tested positive in the days before the event, and Team Germany was left with just 14 skaters for its first three games of last year’s tournament, with one player, forward Jakub Borzecki, having to quarantine for the duration of the tournament.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
B.C. tenants evicted for landlord's use after refusing large rent increase to take over neighbouring suite
Ashley Dickey and her mother rented part of the same Coquitlam duplex in three different decades under three different landlords.
Mountain guide dies after falling into a crevasse in Banff National Park
A man who fell into a crevasse while leading a backcountry ski group deep in the Canadian Rockies has died.
Expert warns of food consumption habits amid rising prices
A new survey by Dalhousie University's Agri-Food Analytics Lab asked Canadians about their food consumption habits amid rising prices.
MPP Sarah Jama asked to leave Ontario legislature for wearing keffiyeh
MPP Sarah Jama was asked to leave the Legislative Assembly of Ontario by House Speaker Ted Arnott on Thursday for wearing a keffiyeh, a garment which has been banned at Queen’s Park.
Charlie Woods, son of Tiger, shoots 81 in U.S. Open qualifier
Charlie Woods failed to advance in a U.S. Open local qualifying event Thursday, shooting a 9-over 81 at Legacy Golf & Tennis Club.
Ex-tabloid publisher testifies he scooped up possibly damaging tales to shield his old friend Trump
As Donald Trump was running for president in 2016, his old friend at the National Enquirer was scooping up potentially damaging stories about the candidate and paying out tens of thousands of dollars to keep them from the public eye.
Here's why provinces aren't following Saskatchewan's lead on the carbon tax home heating fight
After Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said the federal government would still send Canada Carbon Rebate cheques to Saskatchewan residents, despite Saskatchewan Premier Scott Moe's decision to stop collecting the carbon tax on natural gas or home heating, questions were raised about whether other provinces would follow suit. CTV News reached out across the country and here's what we found out.
Montreal actress calls Weinstein ruling 'discouraging' but not surprising
A Montreal actress, who has previously detailed incidents she had with disgraced Hollywood producer Harvey Weinstein, says a New York Court of Appeals decision overturning his 2020 rape conviction is 'discouraging' but not surprising.
Caleb Williams, Jayden Daniels and Drake Maye make it four NFL drafts with quarterbacks going 1-3
Caleb Williams is heading to the Windy City, aiming to become the franchise quarterback Chicago has sought for decades.