The NLL, just four weeks into its season, is going back on a brief pause.

The league announced on Monday that it will postpone the three games scheduled for Week 5 and hopes that the pause will give the league time for a healthy restart in Week 6.

The full statement from the league is below:

We have been in constant contact with authorities, media, and business partners and officials on both sides of the border monitoring developments up to the minute.  With that information, we feel it is in the best interests of all to reschedule the three games (below) we have this coming weekend until later in the season.

• Thursday, December 30, Halifax Thunderbirds at Calgary Roughnecks

• Friday, December 31, New York Riptide at Colorado Mammoth

• Friday, December 31, San Diego Seals at Saskatchewan Rush

We do this out of an abundance of caution, which will keep the competitive balance of our league in place while making sure that our number one priority is, and always will be, the health and safety of our players, our coaches, our staff, and our fans.

We expect to play week 6 of the season on January 7-8, 2022, and we will update if there are any changes based on this fluid and complex situation.