The Montreal Victoire and Minnesota Frost were scheduled to play Game 5 on Monday night, with the winner advancing to the finals. Bailey Hillesheim / Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
May 11, 2026Updated 7:26 pm EDT
MONTREAL — Monday night’s decisive Game 5 of the PWHL semifinals between the Montreal Victoire and Minnesota Frost has been postponed due to “player safety concerns related to illness,” the league announced just hours before the scheduled puck drop.
“The decision was made following consultation with medical personnel and in accordance with the league’s commitment to the health and wellbeing of players, fans, staff and all those involved in the competition,” the league said in a statement. “A rescheduled date for the game will be announced as soon as medical guidance determines it is appropriate to resume play.”
The league did not disclose the nature of the illness, nor did it reveal how many players were sick. However, the league said, “Medical assessment determined that the symptoms are not consistent with hantavirus,” the highly fatal but rare disease that has made headlines of late because of a cruise-ship outbreak.
According to a source briefed on the situation, the illness is currently contained to the Victoire, with nobody on the Frost sick as of Monday evening. Players who are sick have been separated from the team.
The Victoire traveled back from Minnesota on Saturday and held an optional practice on Sunday.
The league first became aware of the player illness on Monday and made the decision to postpone the game after numbers continued to increase.
It is the second time this season that a major women’s hockey game has been postponed due to illness. At the women’s Olympic hockey tournament in Milan, Team Canada’s opening game was postponed after members of Team Finland contracted norovirus.
According to the PWHL, all tickets for the game will be honored for the rescheduled date. The winner of the game will advance to the finals.
May 12, 2026
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