Women’s hockey celebrated in front of a packed house in Quebec

The Montreal Victory got the better of the Ottawa Charge by 2 to 1, a first meeting of the Professional Women’s Hockey League (LPHF) in the capital organized as part of its Grand Tour.

Even if lovers of our national women’s sport had to be patient before putting something in their mouths, the first goal having only been scored at the very end of the 2nd period, everyone was won over from the first second.

Quebec shines

The Victoire coach, Kori Cheverie, had placed three local prides on the starting team during the presentation of the players, the crowd serving warm applause to Catherine Dubois and Ann-Renée Desbiens, without forgetting the other Quebecer of the club, Alexandra Labelle.

However, it was Marie-Philip Poulin who received the most delirious welcome, the latter counting in particular on the support of her 91-year-old grandmother in the stands of the Limoilou amphitheater.

“The entire team received love here, and it’s something special to see what’s happening with the Montreal Victory,” reacted the most adored Beauceronne in hockey. I am very privileged to be able to play with these incredible women.”

The Gretzky of the LPHF

Poulin, the “Wayne Gretzky” of 2025 to use the comparison used by Charge coach Clara MacLeod, quickly became emotional when talking about her grandmother. “It’s one of my greatest fans and I am truly blessed to have it,” said the icon of Beauce with tears in her eyes.

The author of the first goal of the match, Catherine Dubois, will not soon forget her first performance on the ice at the Videotron Center. As soon as she entered the arena, a Quebec Carnival sweater on her back, her legs became heavy and her heart was racing.

A dream scenario

Feverish, the former Limoilou Titans had her eyes so cloudy that she had difficulty seeing the ice in front of her when she took her first skate.

Then, at the end of the second, the Charlesbourg native shook the strings by pushing the puck into the back of the net of Charge goalie Emerance Maschmeyer, which caused the audience to explode.

“Even in my wildest dreams, I didn’t think it could happen like this,” she admitted, praising the passion of the people of Quebec. There were a lot of positive vibes in the stands, including my family and friends, it was really special. I consider myself lucky to have been able to experience such a scenario.”

Even though she had just admitted defeat, the visiting goalkeeper, Emerance Maschmeyer, was not in high spirits when she appeared in front of members of the media. Usually rather deserted, Marc Simoneau’s press conference room was overflowing on Sunday afternoon.

Maschmeyer and his pilot, Clara MacLeod, had nothing but good things to say about the reception received in Quebec, one of the 25 candidate cities interested in a possible expansion of the LPHF.

“I had chills when they announced the starting lineup,” said the goalie from Alberta. When they presented Poulin, it was stupid, the energy was incredible. It was a dream to play in front of a crowd like that.”

Quebec ready for the LPHF

Deeply impressed, MacLeod went even further, deeming Quebec “ready” to take the plunge. The latter assured that she received a warm welcome wherever she went, from the staff of the hotel where the Charge was staying at the Fromagerie Victoria where her players feasted on poutine.

“The exclamation point is the crowd,” she added under the watchful eye of LPHF boss Amy Scheer. I’m not the one who will choose the expansion teams, but what I know is that Quebec is a hockey city. If she gets a team, there is no doubt that she will be well supported.

Music to the ears of goalie Ann-Renée Desbiens, whose four and a half year old goddaughter has just started playing hockey.

«Ils [les promoteurs de Québec] have the infrastructure, the population and the supporters behind them, noted the Charlevoix goalkeeper. Even the mayor offered his support. When you put it all together, they have a good application to offer. I wish them with all my heart, the fans have been waiting for a long time.”

Head coach Kori Cheverie continued her efforts in French by first speaking in the language of Molière after the game.

“Thank you to the fans from Quebec, you are a real hockey city, so thank you,” she said before answering questions from the many media present.

Fatigue – La Victoire played in Montreal on Friday and had to travel on Saturday – could have explained the slow departure of his troop, but Cheverie gave a very positive assessment of the last 24 hours spent in Quebec.

When she heard the fans’ reaction before the first puck drop, the coach came close to bursting into tears. Even if her protégés were welcomed as heroes, Cheverie could see herself finding herself in the enemy camp one day in the capital.

“We’ve had great crowds everywhere we’ve played, but here it was something. The future of women’s hockey is bright in our league.”

Problems for the Anglos?

Uncomfortably, an English-speaking journalist from Montreal questioned the three representatives of the greater Quebec region — Ann-Renée Desbiens, Catherine Dubois and Marie-Philip Poulin — to find out if they thought that the lives of English-speaking players would be complicated in the event of the addition of Quebec to the LPHF radar screen.

Nordiques players, more than 30 years old, would have had “problems” by not speaking French in Quebec, according to him.

Ann-Renée Desbiens dismissed everything out of hand with admirable elegance.

“We travel to several countries where we don’t speak our language and everything goes very well,” she replied. I know Quebec well enough to say that the people here are welcoming. It’s not a worry at all, I’m sure it’s the same thing in Montreal. It’s been so long, the reality is quite different now.”

With the collaboration of Pascale Lévesque