The Pacific Coast Amateur Hockey Associaton, following the lead of Hockey Canada, has put the 2019-20 season on ice due to concerns over the spread of the COVID-19 virus.
In an announcement on its website, PCAHA chief operating officer Barry Petrachenko said any remaining games or functions operated by associations under their organization will be cancelled.
"The B.C. Hockey board of directors support the leadership shown by Hockey Canada to suspend all hockey operations in an attempt to curb the spread of the COVID-19 virus and will be following the direction to suspend all B.C. Hockey games and events until further notice," Petranchenko stated in a release on the association's website.
"The health and safety of our players, their families and their communities is our utmost priority. This is a developing situation which we will continue to monitor closely along with Hockey Canada and the appropriate public health authorities. We will provide further information to our membership as soon as it is made available."
New Westminster Minor Hockey cancelled this weekend's Al Hughes Memorial peewee C and Bobby Love Memorial atom C tournaments, which were to run March 14 to 17.
The B.C. Major Midget Hockey League's playoffs have also been halted, while the Canadian Junior Hockey League cancelled the remaining playoff rounds of all Canadian junior A hockey leagues, including the B.C. Hockey League. The Pacific Junior B Hockey League championship final between the Aldergrove Kodiaks and North Van Wolf Pack was also cancelled.
The Hockey Canada decision extends to all sanctioned events.
