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Church in St-Jean-sur-Richelieu, Que. becomes unlikely Habs playoff watch hub
About 650 fans drank beer and watched Game 3 on a projection screen as Montreal won in overtime.
Hundreds of Montreal Canadiens fans packed the Cathedral of Saint-Jean-l'Evangeliste in Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu, Quebec, to watch Game 3 of their NHL playoff series against the Tampa Bay Lightning.
Isabelle Brulotte, head of the Corporation Monseigneur Forget, noted that churches historically served as neighborhood gathering places for hockey broadcasts when people lacked access to televisions or radios.
Attendees watched the game on a 35-foot screen while David Ouellet, performing as the character 'St-Flanelle,' led chants invoking Maurice 'Rocket' Richard to entertain the crowd.
The 650 fans celebrated as Montreal won in overtime, securing a 2-1 series lead; one attendee said, "For once I shouted out loud in a church."
While some critics labeled the broadcasting inappropriate, Brulotte defended the initiative, citing the church's community mandate and noting that 10,000 visitors attended non-religious events in 2025.