Habs coach Ducharme tests positive for COVID-19

Montreal Canadiens interim head coach Dominique Ducharme has tested positive for COVID-19 and missed Game 3 of the team’s third-round playoff matchup against the Vegas Golden Knights.

The National Hockey League announced the positive test Friday afternoon, hours before the game at the Bell Centre.

The NHL said it learned Friday that Ducharme had a presumptive positive result from a test done in Las Vegas on Thursday, one day after the Canadiens’ Game 2 win. The result was confirmed with further testing Friday.

The league said all tests administered to players, other coaches and hockey staff from both Thursday and Friday have returned negative results.

The Canadiens said assistant coach Luke Richardson will run the bench in Game 3.

Ducharme was sent home Friday morning and had his pregame media availability abruptly cancelled following irregularities in testing.

General manager Marc Bergevin said in a pre-game news conference Ducharme was “doing fine” at home. Bergevin said the team is in contact with public health and the NHL.

Asked how long Ducharme might be sidelined, Bergevin said: “It’s an ongoing situation so I can’t tell you how long.”