Canadiens upset over attendance restriction

Canadiens coach Dominique Ducharme summed up his team’s feelings about Quebec health officials not allowing more fans at Bell Centre for Game 3 of the Stanley Cup Final as “disappointing — very disappointing.”

The 3,500 fans allowed in Montreal pales in comparison to the 17,166 who watched the Lightning beat the Canadiens in Game 2 in Florida. Many restrictions are loosening around Canada and in Quebec, but the team’s request for a crowd of over 10,000 was denied.

“It could have been a way to reward our fans, the people who have gone through 14 or 15 months of isolation to have the chance to participate in an event like this,” Ducharme said Friday morning, hours ahead of Game 3. “It’s special. Unfortunately, we’ll have 3,500 inside and probably 25,000 outside who are going to be shoulder to shoulder. It’s hard to see the logic.”

Game 3 on Friday night ended too late for this edition.

College football: Former Georgia and Miami football coach Mark Richt has been diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease. Richt, who guided the Bulldogs for 15 seasons and closed out his coaching career at alma mater Miami, made the announcement on Twitter. “I have been waddling around lately and people have been asking me what’s wrong,” the 61-year-old wrote Thursday. “I’ve decided to tell everyone at the same time. I have been diagnosed with Parkinson’s.” ... Former USC running back Reggie Bush released a statement seeking to have his Heisman Trophy returned and collegiate statistics reinstated. Bush issued a statement Thursday, which was the first day current college athletes could benefit off their names, image and likeness.

Golf: Joaquin Niemann and Tom Lewis lead the Rocket Mortgage Classic. Niemann and Lewis each shot 3-under 69 on Friday for 10-under 134. Troy Merritt (68), Chris Kirk (68) and Max Homa (65) were a shot back.