“I have a little story to tell,” said Ann-Renée Desbiens, from the top of the stage in the Bell Center press conference room.
“My hairdresser in Charlevoix, Denise, told me that some of her clients are 70, 75 years old,” continued the goalkeeper of the Montreal team. At each of our games, they make watch parties. One of them drives an hour and a half because women their age have never had the chance to shine, the chance to have the support, the visibility that we have today. »
“So it really goes beyond the 21,000 people who will be there tomorrow [samedi]. It not only impacts the people who paved the way, but also all women around the world. It’s really important. I’m going to take advantage of this moment. It’s a moment that I will never forget in my career. And I hope this will become the norm for our sport. »
For weeks now, Montreal players have been answering questions about this historic match which will take place on Saturday at 1 p.m. at the Bell Centre. They sometimes struggle to find the words to explain what this moment means for them and for women’s hockey. This statement from Desbiens, delivered Friday morning at a press conference, well sums up the importance of the event.
Marie-Philip Poulin, for her part, remembered December 10, 2016, the day she played a game at the Bell Center with the Montreal Canadiennes of the now defunct Canadian Women’s Hockey League. At the time, 6,000 people attended.
PHOTO DOMINICK GRAVEL, LA PRESSE ARCHIVES
Marie-Philip Poulin
“It was surreal. It was a dream. You jump on the ice, you see empty seats and you hope that one day it will be full. […] It’s hard to put into words what will happen tomorrow. »
“The fans asked for a game at the Bell Centre,” the general director, Danièle Sauvageau, said earlier. We heard them. Tomorrow, it will be mission accomplished. »
An unexpected feat
Danièle Sauvageau has the same talent as Martin St-Louis for picturing his words. To illustrate the work that has been done in recent years in the world of women’s hockey, the general director spoke of a stone that is pushed to the top of a mountain. “All of a sudden, you let her go and she tumbles…”
This is exactly what is happening with women’s hockey, which is finally taking the place it deserves. Since the start of this historic first season, things have continued to go well.
PHOTO MARTIN TREMBLAY, LA PRESSE ARCHIVES
Danièle Sauvageau, general director of the Montreal team
The players were nevertheless not embarrassed to admit that they never imagined themselves playing at the Bell Center in year one.
“When we imagined the league, it was the foundations that were important, the structure,” said Desbiens. We knew that we were going to win the hearts of the fans as they came to see us, but for me, filling the Bell Center in Year I… It was something that we were perhaps going to do later. »
“We never thought that playing professionally in places like the Bell Center was a dream or a possibility,” added Laura Stacey, who is used to big moments with Team Canada. “The feeling we will have when we arrive on the ice is unexpected and we have never really experienced it before. It opens a bit of a door, even a world of new emotions. »
For Danièle Sauvageau, there is no doubt: “Women’s hockey is at the level of the sports industry. And there is no going back. »
And the match in all this?
PHOTO DOMINICK GRAVEL, LA PRESSE ARCHIVES
Montreal team coach Kori Cheverie
The players of the Montreal team will not have much time to realize what they will be experiencing on Saturday. They will have to quickly place their attention on the match they have to play.
With four games left this season, nothing is set in stone yet for the playoffs. Thursday evening, Kori Cheverie’s troop managed to defeat her from Minnesota to Verdun. On Saturday, she will face Toronto, the team that sits first in the overall standings with just one point ahead of Minnesota and two points ahead of Montreal.
Important detail: the Montrealers have not won any of their four clashes against the Torontonians this season. In other words, the task will be great.
“Tomorrow, we’re going to take a breath, we’re going to look around, we’re going to see what’s going on, we’re going to take it inside, but when the puck falls on the ice, the game will begin,” Poulin said. .
“ [Il s’agira] to continue with our energy [jeudi soir]. We know we’re going to play in front of 21,000 people, but at the end of the day, our goal is going to be to win. »
Other matches?
Asked about the possibility of playing more matches in larger amphitheaters, Danièle Sauvageau responded without the slightest hesitation: “It is currently on the table. The discussion is open, but we are going to play in front of more people. How ? It’s a combination of all three [l’Auditorium de Verdun, la Place Bell et le Centre Bell], probably, but we will increase. People ask me how they can get tickets for [ce samedi]. I tell them: maybe we could put you in the parking lot. […] We have to answer that. We will do the best we can to please as many people as possible. »