Jump back in time to January 6. A total of 13,316 people are present at the Xcel Energy Center in Minnesota for the home team’s opening game against Montreal.
This is currently a new North American record for a professional women’s hockey game in season. On site, Danièle Sauvageau jokingly addresses her counterpart Natalie Darwitz: “I don’t know when, but we’re going to beat that. »
League executives were also on site in Minnesota that evening. Hearing Sauvageau, someone exclaims: “Is she serious? »
“As soon as I returned to Montreal, I sent a text message to a high-ranking member of the Montreal Canadiens and [la personne] said: ‘Let’s look at that'”, Sauvageau tells us, Wednesday morning, within the walls of the Verdun Auditorium.
A little more than two months later, the 61-year-old woman proves that she was indeed serious, while the team of which she is general manager will play at the Bell Center on April 20, we learned Tuesday .
The day after the official announcement, it was still the main topic after Wednesday’s training.
For me, what’s important about this whole story is that it comes from the fans. There hasn’t been a week since the beginning of the year when people haven’t said to us: “Why don’t we go to the Bell Centre?”
Danièle Sauvageau
The rumor of an upcoming match at the home of the Habs has been circulating for a while, but this kind of decision is not made by snapping your fingers. Many things came into play, explains Sauvageau.
“It took time because there were people who were hired to make matches, whether here or at Place Bell, whether in entertainment, etc. […] What kind of agreement can we make with these people? »
Then there was the question of the date. The month of February was studied, then that of March. Ultimately, the decision was made to wait until the end of the Canadian’s season on April 16.
“Yes, it’s the largest amphitheater, but it’s also the busiest in North America. We think that the Bell Center is free, but that is not always the case. Maybe there’s something before or after.
“ [Il faut aussi penser à] OUR [calendrier] ours. The last week has been very [exigeante] ; we played four games in four cities in the space of eight days, with travel and few practices. We had to look at all that, see what was the best moment. In the end, time was on our side. »
The schedule also includes a game the day before the one at the Bell Center. This means that the team would play two matches in 16 hours. “We are working to get it moving, because it’s a lot,” notes the DG.
Tricolor collaboration
Regarding the Canadian’s collaboration in the process, Danièle Sauvageau has only good words.
“If you can pick up the phone and text someone who is very, very, very, very senior and they say, ‘We’ll look at this,’ I think it’s a smooth collaboration. And from the beginning. »
To illustrate his words, Sauvageau tells us about a sweater that appears in a window at the Verdun Auditorium. “This is the jersey that Geoff Molson wore during the 2002 Games, which he gave to my mother after the gold medal. He was at our game in 2002, he grew up with women around him. This collaboration has always been fluid. We’re just a phone call away from France Margaret [Bélanger]. »
All Canadiens people are hockey fans. Hockey is played for men and women. The collaboration isn’t from a week or the text message in January. It’s several years old.
Danièle Sauvageau
Tickets, please
When she was young, Ann-Renée Desbiens was not a fan of the Canadiens, but of the Colorado Avalanche. She is nonetheless looking forward to hitting the Bleu-Blanc-Rouge ice rink soon.
PHOTO OLIVIER JEAN, LA PRESSE ARCHIVES
Goalie Ann-Renée Desbiens
“You go see a Canadiens game once or twice a year with friends, it’s a great evening,” says the Charlevoix native. The fact that people are going to come see us, that we’re the ones who are going to make their evening, their weekend, that’s really fun. It’s a legendary arena. There is a great history, many champions, good hockey players. It will be nice to be able to leave our mark there, too. »
The goalkeeper says she is assured that the team will have “no problem” filling the approximately 21,000 seats. She herself has already received a few requests…
“Let’s just say my phone started ringing pretty quickly, people wanting tickets. I was like: there are 20,000 available, try to find some yourself! », she exclaims, smiling.
I think everyone is looking forward to being there, to come and support us. Having this platform will be good.
Ann-Renée Desbiens
Catherine Dubois speaks of a “childhood dream”, even though she is originally from Quebec and her parents thought she was the Nordiques in her youth. After all, she has lived in Montreal for ten years now.
“It’s just special. You go see the Canadians, it’s a sea of people. There, being on the ice and seeing that, it’s just going to be incredible. »
And then, we know, if the Bell Center is full on this famous afternoon of April 20, a new North American record for a professional women’s hockey game in season will be established. Currently, and since February 16, the said record belongs to the Toronto team, which welcomed 19,285 people to Scotiabank Arena.
“I want the record in Montreal, not in Toronto!” says Desbiens. Any time Montreal can beat Toronto, in any area of life, I’m pretty happy about it. »
Marie-Philip Poulin still absent
PHOTO CHRIS YOUNG, CANADIAN PRESS ARCHIVES
Marie-Philip Poulin
Marie-Philip Poulin was still absent Wednesday morning, two days before leaving for Pittsburgh for Sunday’s game at the Penguins’ home, PPG Paints Arena. The captain missed her team’s last match as a preventative measure due to a lower body injury. It is evaluated “day by day”, indicates Danièle Sauvageau. “Since the start of the year, you have heard me say that we pay attention to our players. It is [exigeant]. She is a player who played several other matches other than ours during the year. She played the All-Star game, the rivalry series. There is a World Championship too. […] I think we have to pay attention to our players. If I have to take them out of a game to make sure the rest of the year is going to be okay, I would never hesitate to do that. For Marie-Philip Poulin or for another player. »