The governors of all six New England states and New Jersey are banning interstate youth hockey. The governors ordered a halt to youth hockey competitions and private school matches across state lines starting on Saturday. The ban runs through the end of December. The purpose of the move is to slow down the spread of COVID-19 across state lines. In a joint announcement issued Thursday, the governors of Connecticut and the other states say it is critical that neighboring states coordinate their approach to the virus. College and professional teams can continue to play with their existing precautions in place.