After being flooded with an unexpected wave of love in Seattle, Vancouver and Denver, the Victoire de Montréal players will receive a new one when they skate at the Videotron Center in Quebec on Sunday afternoon.
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Six days before the game against the Ottawa Charge, there were fewer than 150 tickets left for sale on Monday out of the approximately 18,200 available.
“People’s perception is that there are no more. So go ahead!” advises the general director, Danièle Sauvageau.
Already, it is certain that Marie-Philip Poulin’s troupe attracted more people than the Los Angeles Kings. An average of 17,300 people attended the two NHL preparatory meetings in October.
“Last year, people asked us so much to go and play a game there. We really felt wanted that I’m not surprised,” adds Sauvageau.
The general director, Danièle Sauvageau, attentive during the Victoire training camp last week.
Photo Martin Chevalier
A success
Sitting on the plane that brought the team back to Montreal on Monday afternoon, the former police officer was barely recovering from the emotions experienced over the past week. Her team launched the Grand Tour of the Professional Women’s Hockey League (LPHF) presented on neutral grounds.
Beyond the results (1-1-1), it was the winning of new supporters that caught the attention.
“We just played in front of over 45,000 people in three cities. It’s magical!” assures Sauvageau. The momentum is there. The people of Quebec are waiting for us. They told us they wanted to show that they loved hockey.”
Kraken players Joey Daccord, Shane Wright and Matty Beniers attended the women’s game between Montreal and Boston on January 5.
Getty Images via AFP
Better than the Canucks
With 19,038 spectators, Rogers Arena in Vancouver was filled to capacity on Wednesday, unlike the Canucks’ last duels in the NHL.
On Sunday, there were 14,018 fans at Ball Arena, home of the Avalanche, a record for a professional women’s hockey game in the United States.
The ultimate record belongs to Montreal, which welcomed 21,105 fans to the Bell Center on April 20.
“You don’t have to get used to all this love,” says the woman who guided Canada to Olympic gold in Salt Lake City in 2002.
Three local girls
In Seattle, Vancouver and Denver, the LPHF colors were visible everywhere, including Poulin’s jersey. It’s not for nothing that it has long been out of stock, just like eight other Victory items.
And since the captain is a native of Beauce, her number 29 should also be popular at the Videotron Center.
Originally from Charlevoix and Quebec, goalkeeper Ann-Renée Desbiens and forward Catherine Dubois will also experience a special moment, they who were dressed in a Nordiques sweater in Colorado.
Catherine Dubois
Photo taken from the LPHF X account
Ann-Renée Desbiens
Photo taken from the LPHF X account
“Everywhere we go, whether it’s Vancouver for Marie who returned there [après avoir marqué les deux buts en or aux Jeux olympiques de 2010] or Jenn Gardiner who didn’t play there the first time even though she comes from there, it’s special,” says Sauvageau.
Poulin once again distinguished herself in this amphitheater, scoring a double against the Toronto Scepters, notably sending the puck into the top corner while she was on her knees.
With three points in two games, “Pou” was also named the first star of the week in the LPHF.
Another full room?
Before heading to the old capital, the Victoire will host Minnesota Frost on Friday in Laval, who took first place on Sunday. For its reunion in Laval in three weeks, Place Bell could also sell out.
However, it remains to be seen whether Laura Stacey will be in uniform. The striker suffered an injury, possibly to her left leg, in the second period on Sunday, and she did not return to the game as a “prevention”.
