MONTREAL — Canadiens interim coach Dominique Ducharme has been sent home and is isolating following irregularities in COVID-19 testing.
The Canadiens canceled Ducharme’s pregame news conference Friday. The club said it will provide another update before Game 3 of its NHL semifinal series against the Vegas Golden Knights on Friday night at the Bell Centre.
Ducharme will undergo further tests before the game, the Canadiens said, adding that Ducharme received his second dose of the COVID-19 vaccine on June 9.
The Canadiens and Golden Knights are tied 1-1 in the best-of-seven series after Montreal earned a split at Vegas with a 3-2 win in Game 2.
Ducharme was promoted to interim head coach from assistant after Claude Julien was fired Feb. 24.
Under Ducharme, the Canadiens finished fourth in the all-Canadian North Division before upsetting Toronto and Winnipeg in the first two playoff rounds.
The Golden Knights have already seen this scenario play out in this postseason. Colorado Avalanche coach Jared Bednar missed a morning skate because of a COVID-19 testing irregularity then was cleared to coach in Game 6 of the second-round series against Vegas.