Quebec public health considering request from Canadiens to allow more fans in the Bell Centre

Montreal -

The Montreal Canadiens have sent a request to Quebec public health to increase the capacity of the Bell Centre for their home games, Public Health said.

The Canadiens' request is being evaluated, officials said, but there is no word on when a decision might be made.

The Canadiens have been able to accommodate 2,500 fans since Game 6 of their first-round series against the Toronto Maple Leafs, representing 12 per cent of the Bell Centre's capacity.

The same number of fans were able to attend Games 3 and 4 of the Habs' second round series against the Winnipeg Jets.

A club spokesperson did not immediately respond to requests for comment from The Canadian Press.

Since May 28, Quebec allowed arenas and large halls to accommodate 2,500 people, if they wear their masks and people who do not live at the same address maintain a distance between them.

The Canadiens will host the Vegas Golden Knights in Games 3 and 4 of the Stanley Cup semi-finals on June 18 and 20, at the very least.

The series will begin with games on Monday and Wednesday in Las Vegas.

The Golden Knights were able to play to a packed house in Game 6 of their second-round series against the Colorado Avalanche.

On Thursday, 18,149 people were at T-Mobile Arena to watch the Knights' 6-3 win to advance on the semifinals.

-- This report by The Canadian Press was first published in French on June 11, 2021.