Parks, lawns and baseball diamonds: How Habs fans are watching the Stanley Cup final

Despite pandemic restrictions and a cap on the number of people allowed at Montreal'sBell Centre, Habs fansare finding creative ways to gather to watch their team's unexpected playoff run.

"It's crazy,"said Stuart Saunders, who describes himself as adie-hard Montreal Canadiens fan."I was at the last Stanley Cup parade in '93, so it's been a while."

For the resident of Otterburn Park, a town about 40 kilometres east of Montreal, being able to watch the playoff run with fellow fans in the wake of pandemic isolation is critical.

While the entire province of Quebec is now under the green alert level,meaninglooser restrictions, there are still limits on meeting indoors.

Viewing parties bringneighbours together

And with the playoff run stretching into summerand tickets limited and pricey, the potential for outdoor viewingis high.

That's why Saunders tookit upon himself to host viewing parties in his front yard, equipped with a 180-inchscreen and large Bluetooth speakersfor his neighbours' enjoyment.

"Everybody's been shut in for so long," said Saunders. "Since the start of the pandemic, we haven't seen anybody."

Similar viewing parties can be spotted (and heard, when the home team scores)on lawns, balconies, rooftop patios and parks throughout the province.

Hockey on a baseball diamond

Patrick Bland and Omar Hafezbegan screening NHL games at the baseball diamond inNotre-Dame-de-GrcePark during the first round of the playoffs, when the Habseliminatedthe Toronto Maple Leafs.

The crowd, sitting on picnic blankets and camping chairs, now fills much of the infield.

"We just wanted a way to watch the game with our friends, outside,"said Bland.

"Because of COVID, we didn't want to make a huge party at somebody's house and we just wanted to make the Habs games accessible to people in these difficult times."

The organizers hang a white sheetmeasuring roughly 150 inchesagainst the backstop as a makeshift screen, and a projectorstreams the game, with sounds of the broadcastcoming from rented speakers.

"The best way to watch these games is together, under one screen basically. We're really happy to see the turnout," said Hafez, adding they enjoy watchingthe games in what they consider their neighbourhood backyard.

"I'm coming here till we bring the cup over here, that's our goal."

Canadiens ask forBell Centrecapacity increase

For now, theBell Centre islimited to 3,500 spectators per game under rules set by theQuebec's Health Ministry. The Montreal Canadiensorganization has asked the government to allow the Bell Centre to admit 10,500 spectators, half its capacity.

Montreal Mayor Valrie Plante said Monday that she is still trying to come up with ways to organize outdoor viewings but admitted public health guidelines make the task difficult.

Many businesses, though, have managed to adapt.

Vito Azzue, who runs CafVito in Montreal's Villerayneighbourhood, screens Euro Cup games during the day and Habs games at night.

"When we first initially started it was just for among friends and family, and then it grew into a real crowd," he said. "And that's why everyone comes here, because they became family with each other."