Montreal lost 3-2 in overtime to its rivals Toronto on Saturday at the Bell Centre. But that is not what we will remember from this meeting.
The Montrealers broke the world attendance record for a women’s hockey match with 21,105 spectators, each more enthusiastic than the last.
An incomparable atmosphere inhabited the Bell Center for the two hours and thirty minutes that the meeting lasted.
It was a day of celebration.
During the warm-up, posters could be seen everywhere in the stands. “We are finally giving these women what they deserve,” said one of them. Anyone in the amphitheater felt chills for the first time when the team arrived on the ice.
A second time during the ovation to Marie-Philip Poulin, who herself appeared moved on the giant screen.
A third time when Sarah Bujold executed a clever feint before scoring to equalize at 1-1 at the end of the first period.
The screams hit your eardrums.
In summary
Despite all the emotions, which we guess are indescribable, the Montrealers seemed in full possession of their means from the start of the match. It was rather the Toronto women who seemed nervous, even disorganized.
Kori Cheverie’s squad lacked opportunism in the first period. Mikyla Grant-Mentis came close to scoring twice rather than once in the first ten minutes. However, it was the visitors who found the back of the net first, when Blayre Turnbull shot from the point. The puck deflected to slip behind Ann-Renée Desbiens.
Sarah Bujold was responsible for getting the crowd to its feet with 19 seconds left on the clock; a flawless feint followed by a major league shot. The Toronto goalkeeper, Kristen Campbell, until then impeccable, saw nothing.
Montreal, which is used to slowing down in the second period, maintained its pace well this time. If Toronto scored after only 40 seconds of play thanks to a clever deflection from Sarah Nurse in front of the goal, the Montrealers continued to attack.
Once again, they waited until the last minute of the period to equalize. This time, it was Erin Ambrose who scored with a point shot on the power play.
The third third was exciting; the partisans practically never stopped shouting – with joy, or with fear! — in the face of the Montreal and Toronto attacks. However, neither team scored. The pleasure was prolonged, but not for long…
In overtime, Sarah Nurse only took 13 seconds to find the back of the net with a precise wrist shot from the top of the left circle.