It was another historic night in the PWHL where 19,285 fans filled Toronto’s Scotiabank Arena and witnessed Toronto’s 3-0 win over Montreal on Friday night.
The 19,285 fans set a world record for fans at a women’s hockey game on record. The previous record was 18,013 for a Canada-Finland game at the 2013 IIHF Women’s World Hockey Championship in Ottawa. It also set the professional world record which was set in Minnesota with just over 13,000 fans in their home opener, also against Montreal, on January 6.
Montreal’s two regulation losses on the season have come in front of a combined 32,601 road fans. Montreal has played in front of the four biggest crowds in the PWHL this season and it will be the top-five after Sunday’s game at a sold-out Place Bell.
“It’s pretty surreal,” said Montreal forward Marie-Philip Poulin. “What’s happening with women’s hockey right now is surreal, obviously not the result we wanted but a sold-out crowd tonight is unbelievable.”
The game was 0-0 through two periods of play but wasn’t without its scoring opportunities. Montreal was 0/4 on the power play through the first 40 minutes, and outshot Toronto 20-14 after two. One of the power plays included one minute of a two-player advantage. Both Ann-Renée Desbiens and Kristen Campbell made key saves when called upon.
Toronto opened the scoring early in the second period when a couple of blown coverages allowed Hannah Miller to find Jesse Compher in the slot, who made no mistake to beat Desbiens. It was her first professional goal.
After the goal, Montreal had two more power play opportunities to tie the game, but could not beat Campbell. Montreal’s power play is now 1/32 on the season, a league worst 3.1%.
“I liked the way our power play looked tonight,” Montreal head coach Kori Cheverie told reporters. “We had some good chances, we had some good net front. It’s coming and we’ll continue to work on it.”
“I thought we had a lot of really good looks,” Montreal defender Erin Ambrose said to reporters in Toronto after the game. “Soupy [Toronto goalie Campbell] did play well, we knew we would have to take her eyes away to even have a chance. I think that the more that we get those looks, the more one of those bounces is going to go in. Even if it’s not a pretty goal one’s going to go in. I’ve been fortunate enough to play with [Poulin] on a power play for a little while and I would say that our chemistry is pretty good. We’re a little bit frustrated but we’re not worried. Tonight just wasn’t the night.”
With 4:39 remaining, Miller doubled the Toronto lead beating Desbiens with a snap shot from the left circle. It was her third goal of the season. Victoria Bach added an empty netter 32 seconds later as Montreal tried everything to try and close the gap early.
Campbell made 30 saves in the shutout win. Desbiens made 21 in a losing effort. Toronto has won four straight games in regulation that has seen them shoot up the league standings. They were in last place when the streak started and are now tied with Montreal in points, but have one more game played, leaving them in third. The top four teams make the playoffs.
Montreal’s next game will come against league-leading Minnesota on Sunday afternoon at Place Bell. Around 10,000 fans are expected. It is the first time that Minnesota is playing in Montreal, making them the last team to visit. It will be their third meeting of the season. Both teams split the first two games of the season series in regulation.
Full Highlights:
All quotes courtesy of audio provided by Zoë Hayden of The Victory Press from the post-game press conferences
