'There'd be a riot': Playoff-buzzed Oilers fans dreading potential COVID-19 disruption

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Fans in Ford Hall

EDMONTON -- Oilers fans left Rogers Place Wednesday night not knowing when, or if, they’d be allowed back in the building this season.



The rest of the NHL calendar fell into question Wednesday when the NBA abruptly postponed its season indefinitely, after a player tested positive for Coronavirus.



“I think it’s blown completely out of proportion, I disagree with what’s happening in the U.S. San Jose, that blew my mind,” Oilers fan Colleen Terlson said while leaving the game.



The San Jose Sharks and Columbus Blue Jackets had already announced that they plan to play the rest of their March home games without fans allowed in the arena, because of COVID-19 risks.



The NHL said it would make a decision Thursday.



“The NHL is continuing to consult with medical experts and is evaluating the options. We expect to have a further update tomorrow,” an NHL statement, posted in response to the NBA decision, read.



The possibility of games being postponed or cancelled was disappointing, but not surprising to Oilers fan Jermaine Burke.



“If it’s what they think is necessary, then I’m not against it,” Burke said.



“I do my best to keep up with safe practices like not retouching my face, washing my hands, not coughing into the open,” he said, adding he still felt safe in Rogers Place.



On Wednesday afternoon, the Oilers Entertainment Group reiterated that they were going ahead with the evening’s game against the Winnipeg Jets and had enacted enhanced hygiene measures.



“Presently, the current risk of COVID-19 in Alberta is considered low by medical experts. We will continue to monitor the situation and take the necessary steps needed in consultation with Alberta Health Services, the NHL and other stakeholders to keep our people and our fans safe,” a statement from OEG read.



The Oilers entered Wednesday in position to face their provincial rival Calgary Flames in the first round of the NHL playoffs.



And while it’s not guaranteed the teams will finish the season that way, the chance they might, would be a morale boost for an economically struggling province.



If COVID-19 disrupted that, Terlson said fans would upset, to say the least.



“There’d be a riot. If no one was let into the building, there’d be a riot,” she said.