The Montreal Canadiens are one win away from eliminating the Tampa Bay Lightning after a 3-2 victory in Game 5 on Wednesday night, with a chance to close out the series Friday at the Bell Centre.
The game is expected to draw large crowds downtown, including fans gathering at the team’s official outdoor watch party outside the arena, where safety and crowd control are top priorities.
A “Fan Jam” will once again take over Canadiens Plaza ahead of puck drop, offering food, drinks and pre-game entertainment.
The site opens two hours before the game and closes at puck drop. Admission is free, but capacity is limited.
For fans without tickets, the “Watch Party – Street Edition” will be held along Avenue des Canadiens, just outside the Bell Centre.
The event is free and opens two hours before the game, with entry granted on a first-come, first-served basis.
Originally restricted to fans who reserved free passes, the watch party setup was adjusted ahead of Game 3, when organizers removed fencing on the north side of the site.
Guillaume Ouimet, Canadiens communications coordinator, said the change was intended to improve how the space is managed.
“The decision to remove the fence on the North side after Game 3 is more due to the organization’s will to optimize security during these events than for safety concerns,” Ouimet told CityNews. “The events went really well during both Games 3 and 4 and we are looking forward to another great evening (Friday) for Game 6. Every decision is taken in collaboration with the City of Montreal as well as with the SPVM.”
Montreal police are using Quebec-made anti-vehicle-ramming barriers to help protect fans gathered outside the Bell Centre during playoff games.
Defense Fortress has sold and delivered approximately 60 barriers to the Montreal police (SPVM), which plans to use them at large-scale events across the city.
Designed to stop vehicles on impact, the system forces metal uprights fitted with spikes underneath a vehicle, piercing its floor and engine to bring it to a halt.
Each section weighs about 100 pounds and can reach up to 600 pounds when assembled, while remaining portable for rapid deployment.
The barriers were developed by a team with nearly 50 years of combined experience in private security and the RCMP, and are manufactured in Laval by Sheltec and in Terrebonne by Boly Atelier.
With the Canadiens on the brink of advancing, anticipation is building across the city.
