STAFF AND WIRE REPORTS <\/p>\n
VANCOUVER, British Columbia The Vancouver Canucks are dealing with a mumps outbreak. <\/p>\n
The team said Friday defenseman Troy Stetcher has been diagnosed with the highly contagious virus and defensemen Chris Tanev and Nikita Tryamkin and forwards Mike Chaput and Markus Granlund have shown symptoms. The players with symptoms were immediately tested and quarantined for a five-day period or until test results prove negative. <\/p>\n
The news affects the Utica Comets, who earned a 2-1win overWilkes-Barre\/Scranton Penguins on Friday at the Utica Memorial Auditorium. Four players were officially recalled Saturday: Comets' points leader Alex Grenier, top-scoring defenseman Jordan Subban, fellow blue liner Evan McEneny and forward Joseph LaBate. Grenier and McEneny did not play in Friday's game. <\/p>\n
The Comets play their fifth game in seven days when they travel to take on the Binghamton Senators at 7 p.m. Saturday in a big North Division matchup. With the moves, the Comets added 26-year-old defenseman Alex Wall to a professional tryout contract. <\/p>\n
Wall, who appeared in one game earlier this season with the Comets, has 30 points in 49 games with the Adirondack Thunder. With the addition of Wall, the Comets have 12 healthy forwards and seven healthy defensemen. <\/p>\n
The 25-year-old Grenier (38 points in 51 games) is the Comets' franchise leader in multiple categories and has had a strong fourth season in Utica, while the 21-year-old Subban leads the team's defensemen with a career-best 13 goals with 29 points. Both have spent time on the Comets' power-play unit this season. Grenier and Subban, who were both AHL All-Star selections this season, have spent time with the Canucks this season, but have not appeared in a game. <\/p>\n
The 22-year-old McEneny (17 points in 43 games) has been a solid presence on the blue line and trusted in all situations for Utica this season. The 24-year-old LaBate, who recently returned from an injury and spent time with the Canucks earlier this season, has two goals and nine points in 25 games with the Comets this season. LaBate has played three games with the Canucks. <\/p>\n
McEneny was in the Canucks' lineup Saturday for his National Hockey League debut against the San Jose Sharks. <\/p>\n
\"We're taking this very seriously, given how easily mumps can spread,\" Canucks General Manager Jim Benning said. <\/p>\n
The team added that vaccines are also being administered to minimize further risk of contraction, along with universal preventative hygiene measures, including disinfecting all dressing room areas. <\/p>\n
The mumps virus is found in saliva and respiratory droplets. It is spread person to person through coughing, sneezing or coming into contact with saliva. <\/p>\n
This isn't the first time the hockey world has been hit by the mumps. Pittsburgh Penguins star Sidney Crosby was among a group of players diagnosed with the virus during the 2014-15 season. <\/p>\n
The outbreak with the Canucks came the day public health officials and infectious disease experts urged Canadians to check that their vaccinations are up to date as clusters of mumps are investigated in Ontario and Alberta. Measles cases are also being probed in Nova Scotia. In Alberta, seven players and a coach with the Medicine Hat Tigers of the Western Hockey League have been hit by mumps. <\/p>\n
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Players recalled from Comets as Canucks deal with mumps - Sports ... - Utica Observer Dispatch<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" STAFF AND WIRE REPORTS VANCOUVER, British Columbia The Vancouver Canucks are dealing with a mumps outbreak. The team said Friday defenseman Troy Stetcher has been diagnosed with the highly contagious virus and defensemen Chris Tanev and Nikita Tryamkin and forwards Mike Chaput and Markus Granlund have shown symptoms. The players with symptoms were immediately tested and quarantined for a five-day period or until test results prove negative Continue reading