About 5,500 kilometres separate Montreal from Paris, but the spectators gathered at the Bell Centre Saturday night felt closer to their French cousins, if only for a few minutes.
In the aftermath of the tragic events that hit the French capital Friday, the Canadiens organization put on a show of empathy before Saturday's game against the Colorado Avalanche.
It started with the usual appearance of two young hockey players dressed in the Habs uniform acting as flagbearers, but one stepped on the ice waving flag blue, white and red of France.
Announcer Michel Lacroix then took over, talking about the Canadiens’ and NHL’s support for France and its people as images of French citizens gathering in the wake of Friday's carnage flashed across the screen.
Spectators then observed a moment of silence before La Marseillaise, France’s national anthem, played over the loudspeaker while a replica of the French flag was projected onto the ice.
The NHL reportedly sent a memo to each of its 30 clubs instructing them to have heightened security measures in light of the attacks.
For the first time this season, the NHL has mandated metal detectors for fans, employees and players.
"Our primary goal, and I'm sure it's at all of the sports leagues too, is to have the safest environment possible for our fans, our team members, our players, everyone," NHL director of security Dennis Cunningham said in a phone interview prior to the season.
