The Montreal Canadiens have decided to cancel the training session the team was to hold Saturday morning at the Bell Sports Complex in Brossard as a preventive measure.
The team announced their decision through their Twitter account, without adding further details.
Dominique Ducharme’s men had kept this training session on the schedule even if the game scheduled for Saturday night against the Boston Bruins at the Bell Center had been postponed.
Recently, the Bruins were dealing with a COVID-19 outbreak that affected seven players and one team member.
For his part, the Canadiens have not registered players in the NHL protocol linked to COVID-19 since December 2, when Brendan Gallagher and Sami Niku were placed in isolation. Gallagher and Niku had resumed training this week, however, and Ducharme had claimed they could return to the game on Monday.
For now, the Canadiens will take over on Monday, when they visit the New York Islanders. He will then face the New York Rangers on December 22, followed by the New Jersey Devils on December 23.
The NHL confirmed at noon on Saturday that the Bruins’ games against the Ottawa Senators on Sunday, the Carolina Hurricanes on Tuesday, and the Colorado Avalanche on Thursday have all been postponed.
In addition, last Thursday’s meeting between the Canadiens and the Philadelphia Flyers at the Bell Center was presented behind closed doors following a request from Quebec Public Health due to the increase in COVID-19 cases in the Montreal region.
It was the first time since May 25 that the Habs played in an empty Bell Center.
The maximum capacity allowed at the Bell Center has increased from 2,500 for Game 6 of the First Round Series against the Toronto Maple Leafs on May 29 to 3,500 as of the Stanley Cup semi-final against the Golden Knights of Vegas, June 18. It was 7,500 on the preseason schedule this fall, and then the restrictions were lifted in time for the home opener on October 16.
Groupe CH Sports and Entertainment President France Margaret Bélanger said in a statement released Thursday evening that the Canadian had “obtained assurances that we will again be able to accommodate our fans at 50% of the amphitheater’s full capacity for our January matches “.
Laval Rockets and the Syracuse Orange game rescheduled
The American Hockey League has announced that the game between the Laval Rocket and the Syracuse Crunch that was scheduled to take place tonight in Syracuse has been postponed due to the COVID protocol affecting the Crunch.
Rocket management confirmed the league’s decision through their Twitter account on Saturday morning. No deadline has been announced.
This game was to be the Rocket’s last before the Christmas break. The Laval team must play its next meeting on December 29, at Place Bell, against the Crunch.
For the Crunch, the Tampa Bay Lightning school club, this is a second game in as many nights that is postponed in connection with COVID-19. Yesterday evening, the players of head coach Benoit Groulx were to welcome the Belleville Senators.
In addition, another game scheduled for Saturday night, between the Manitoba Moose and Iowa, against the Wild, has been postponed to January 19. Additionally, the games the Moose were scheduled to play in Texas on Tuesday and Wednesday have been postponed to dates yet to be determined.
Friday night, the Rocket (12-10-2) climbed to second in the North section, tied with the Rochester Americans thanks
to a second straight victory, 6-3 over the Providence Bruins, at Place Bell.
The Rocket scored four unanswered goals in the second period, including three on the power play.
The game was played behind closed doors due to recent requests from the Quebec government regarding COVID-19.
(The Canadian Press)
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