The Montreal Canadiens will play Thursday's home game against the Philadelphia Flyers in a closed setting without fans. In a statement posted less than two hours before puck drop, the Canadiens said Quebec public health officials requested they do so to slow the spread of COVID-19.
Montreal accepted the officials' request "to help ensure the safety and security of our fans and fellow citizens throughout our community." The team has also "obtained assurances" of it being able to return to partial capacity by January.
The Canadiens announced they will update the status of Saturday's game against the Boston Bruins on Friday.
"More details will follow in the days to come and as the portrait of this ever-evolving pandemic becomes clearer," the Canadiens' statement read. "In the interim we would continue to encourage everyone to get vaccinated, get their booster shots when possible, and be responsible with their social and family gatherings throughout the holidays. We hope that with rigor and a collective effort from all of us, we will be able to come together in a near future in 2022."
The COVID-19 pandemic has had little impact on the Canadiens' season before Thursday, but the same can't be said for some other NHL teams. The New York Islanders, Calgary Flames and Carolina Hurricanes have all postponed games after numerous players contracted the virus.
Montreal's decision to ban fans comes a day after Ontario enacted a rule to limit seating capacity to 50% for the Toronto Maple Leafs, Ottawa Senators and Toronto Raptors. The Ontario rule was the first of its kind among NBA and NHL teams this season.
It's now going to be two consecutive seasons in which Canadian fans will struggle to see their teams compete. Last year, Canadian NHL teams banned fans throughout the regular season and allowed only limited crowds in the playoffs. The Toronto Raptors played their 2020-21 season in Tampa, Florida, to avoid border restrictions.
The Canadiens, who sit at the bottom of the NHL's Atlantic Division with a dismal 6-21-3 record, are set to play the Flyers (11-12-4) at 7 p.m. ET in the Bell Centre. Fans with tickets to the game will be refunded while season ticket holders will earn credits.
