NHL News: Canadiens seemed afraid to be in Minnesota

The Montreal Canadiens have reportedly asked their players to stay inside their team hotel, take the team bus instead of going to the stadium and always carry their passports ahead of their game against the Minnesota Wild on Monday night.

The report appeared on the hockey website of journalist Luc Gélinas, who described Minnesota as an unsafe place amid two deaths stemming from US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) operations last month. The incidents sparked days of unrest in Minneapolis and in cities and suburbs around the state capital.

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The report added that the Canadiens did not travel to Minneapolis immediately after their game against the Sabers in Buffalo on Saturday. The team reportedly opted to stay an extra day in New York before leaving for Minnesota.

Montreal’s game against the Wild seemed to go off without a hitch.

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Montreal Canadiens defenseman Arber Xhekaj, right, reacts after his team’s overtime loss to the Minnesota Wild in an NHL hockey game Monday, Feb. 2, 2026, in St. Paul, Minnesota. (AP Photo/Matt Krohn)

Wild star Kirill Kaprizov scored his second goal of the game on a power play in overtime to give his team a 4-3 win. The team took advantage of a penalty awarded to Phillip Danault. He hooked Kaprizov in front of the goal.

Minnesota also got goals from Joel Eriksson Ek and Brock Faber. Quinn Hughes had three assists in the game and has 50 on the season.

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Montreal Canadiens right wing Ivan Demidov, second from right, celebrates after his goal with teammates during the second period of an NHL hockey game against the Minnesota Wild, Monday, Feb. 2, 2026, in St. Paul, Minnesota. (AP Photo/Matt Krohn)

The Canadiens’ three-game winning streak was snapped with the loss. Brendan Gallagher, Ivan Demidov and Kirby Dach all put the puck in the back of the net.