NWHL postpones 2020 Isobel Cup Final due to COVID-19 concerns

Boston Pride captain Jillian Dempsey during the 2019 NWHL All-Star Game. (Mark Humphrey/AP)

Amid a wave of cancellations and postponements across the sports world, the National Women’s Hockey League has announced it is postponing the 2020 Isobel Cup Final.

The final was to be played on Friday between the Boston Pride and Minnesota Whitecaps at Boston’s Warrior Ice Arena.

Read the full statement from the NWHL below:

The NWHL announced today that the 2020 Isobel Cup Final between the Boston Pride and Minnesota Whitecaps scheduled for Friday, March 13 at Warrior Ice Arena has been postponed.

At the appropriate time, the NWHL, Pride and Whitecaps will reschedule the Isobel Cup Final for a later date in Boston.

We want to host the Isobel Cup Final in an environment where our fans, players, and everyone working or attending our championship game can feel safe. The progression of COVID-19 in many parts of the world, including the U.S., resulted in the league making this decision in the interest of public health and the wellbeing of all involved in the event.

Fans who purchased tickets for the Isobel Cup Final will be able to use them for the rescheduled date. To request a refund, please email ticketing@nwhlhq.com.

The NWHL thanks everyone for supporting our league throughout a spectacular 2019-20 season, and we appreciate your understanding and patience. We are determined to present the Isobel Cup Final that the Pride, Whitecaps and the fans deserve.

Among the notable cancellations due to COVID-19’s impact was the 2020 IIHF women’s world championship, which was to be played in Nova Scotia starting in late March.

Elsewhere in the hockey world, seven professional men’s leagues in Europe have also cancelled their seasons — those in Switzerland, Austria, Germany, Norway, Poland, Slovenia and Slovakia — while the NHL is set to have a conference call on Thursday to discuss potential options for the rest of the 2019-20 campaign.

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