Canadiens' Ducharme tests positive for COVID-19

Montreal Canadiens head coach Dominique Ducharme has tested positive for COVID-19, the NHL announced Friday.

Canadiens general manager Marc Bergevin said Ducharme is doing fine but added he isn't sure how long Ducharme will be away from the team.

Bergevin said assistant coach Luke Richardson will run the Canadiens' bench with fellow assistant Alex Burrows and goalie coach Sean Burke on Friday night for Game 3 of Montreal's semifinal series against the Vegas Golden Knights.

Ducharme received his second COVID-19 vaccination shot on June 9. He is not considered fully vaccinated because that date was less than two weeks ago. He was immediately isolated from the team under the NHL's COVID-19 protocols.

No other coaches or players from either the Canadiens or Golden Knights yielded a positive COVID-19 test result.

Montreal named Ducharme its interim head coach upon firing Claude Julien in February. The Canadiens went 15-16-7 after Ducharme took the reins, finishing fourth in the North Division. They then upset the Toronto Maple Leafs in seven games during the first round of the playoffs before sweeping the Winnipeg Jets in Round 2.

The Canadiens and Golden Knights are tied 1-1 in their best-of-seven series.