PWHL Takeover Tour Continues to Find Success

For the first time in the league’s existence, the PWHL played a neutral site game in Quebec City and it couldn’t have been more of a success. It was an all-Canadian matchup as the Montréal Victoire played host to the Ottawa Charge with an important 3 points on the line. As many neutral site games go, the energy in the building was infectious from start to finish. Montréal started an all-Quebec line with captain Marie-Philip Poulin centring Alexandra Labelle (Saint-Louis-de-Gonzague) and Catherine Dubois (Quebec City), while Ann-Renée Desbiens (La Malbaie) got the start between the pipes.

Following the game, Montreal’s Poulin was all smiles as she raved about the sold out crowd. “It's crazy to see so many young girls in the stands who can dream of a professional career when there was virtually nothing for girls not so long ago, and to see how far we've come. It's our motivation every day to train and play for these youngsters.” 

The first twenty minutes of play and most of the second was scoreless before the hometown hero and Québec City native Catherine Dubois scored the game's opening goal to send the Victoire into the intermission with the 1-0 lead. 

After scoring in her hometown, Dubois was on cloud nine in her post game presser. “In my wildest dreams, I could never have imagined such a scenario. It's a really special game and I'm really lucky to be living these moments. When I jumped on the ice, I couldn't see anything because my eyes were full of tears. I tried to calm down a bit. My legs were heavier and my heart was beating faster than usual.”

Mid-way through the third period, Shiann Darkangelo tied things up for the Charge with a tip-in goal. Just four minutes later a costly Ottawa penalty would be the push Montréal needed as Kati Tabin unloaded a one timer from the point to give her team the lead once again.

After a late Ottawa push, Montréal would go on to win in Quebec City 2-1. Ann-Renée Desbiens stopped 26 of 27 shots as she picked up her sixth win of the season. With this win, the Victoire now sit in sole possession of first place in the PWHL standings. 

Not only was the PWHL's Quebec City Takeover Tour stop a success when it came to the on-ice play, but the loud and proud sold out crowd shows an appetite for a possible expansion in Quebec City.

The Videotron Centre, which is normally home to the Quebec Remparts of the QMJHL, was packed on January 19th. On a chilly Sunday afternoon 18,259 excited women's hockey fans flooded the building as they waited to watch two Canadian PWHL teams take centre stage in their city.

Quebec City was the fourth stop of the PWHL's Takeover Tour. With five stops to go, I think it's obvious that we will see more packed crowds and unbelievable hockey played across Canada and the United States.