As the Tampa Bay Lightning and Dallas Stars get closer to the crowning of a new Stanley Cup Champion, the NHL reported that it has gone a ninth straight week with zero positive COVID-19 test results from their postseason bubble.
The league said on Monday it has conducted 33,174 tests since the Phase 4 portion of its Return To Play plan began in late July with zero positive test results coming back.
That includes the 774 tests that were conducted during the week of September 20 through September 26.
The NHL’s postseason featured 24 teams reporting to two hub cities (Toronto and Edmonton) in late July with strict mask and social distancing measures in place. Each team was permitted to carry a 52-member traveling party with them into the bubbles, with each person undergoing daily testing.
[NBC 2020 STANLEY CUP PLAYOFF HUB]
The league has not had a positive COVID-19 test result since mid-July when it had two positive results during Phase 3 (full training camps) of its return. Prior to that there were 43 positive tests during the Phase 2 (small group workouts at team facilities) portion.
The Eastern Conference played it Round-Robin, Qualifying Rounds, and First-and Second Rounds of the playoffs in Toronto, while the Western Conference played its games in Edmonton.
The Conference Finals and Stanley Cup Final have been played in Edmonton.
If the Lightning win Game 6 on Monday night it will wrap the 2020 Stanley Cup Playoffs and the bubble experience. If Dallas wins they will have one more game on Wednesday night.
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Adam Gretz is a writer for Pro Hockey Talk on NBC Sports. Drop him a line at phtblog@nbcsports.com or follow him on Twitter @AGretz.