MONTREAL — Marie-Philip Poulin will remember Saturday as one of the greatest days of her decorated hockey career — even though she was robbed of a storybook ending.
Amanda Pelkey scored the overtime winner as Boston spoiled Montreal’s thrilling Professional Women’s Hockey League home opener with a 3-2 win.
Poulin, Montreal’s captain, appeared to score the game-winner moments earlier, but officials disallowed the goal after review due to goalie interference.
The woman known as “Captain Clutch" for her three Olympic gold-medal winning goals for Canada was denied a chance to add to that tag.
But on this occasion, the result was secondary.
"This one was very special," said an emotional Poulin. "We've been waiting a long time for this moment.”
"Obviously that's the writing we wanted this story to end with tonight,” said alternate captain Laura Stacey, referencing the disallowed goal. “But this game, this moment is so much bigger than just one goal, one loss.
“Seeing the young girls, the young boys, all the fans in the stands today who've waited so long for this and so have we … it's so much more than just that.
“It was beyond our expectations.”
A rowdy sold-out crowd of 3,245 spectators, many of whom lined up outside Verdun Auditorium hours before the game, filled the stands to take in the historic moment as the first-of-its-kind women’s league arrived in Montreal.
Screaming fans of all ages — some hoisting signs that read “About Damn Time” and “Play Like a Girl,” others decked out in PWHL Montreal’s burgundy jersey — wore multicolour flashing bracelets and waved white towels throughout the game.
Poulin, of Beauceville, Que., was the final player to take the ice during the electric player introductions — and the crowd erupted.
"To see the people in the stands, the lights, the beat in the crowd,” Poulin said. “It's hard to place, but it's high on my list (of special moments)."
Taylor Girard and Hannah Brandt also scored for Boston (1-1-0), and Aerin Frankel stopped 31 shots.
Erin Ambrose and Stacey replied for Montreal (2-1-1), while Ann-Renee Desbiens made 18 saves.
Ambrose scored Montreal’s first home goal 33 seconds into the second period. Stacey doubled Montreal’s lead just 29 seconds later to send the crowd into a frenzy.
"Amazing atmosphere, the fans were electric,” Montreal head coach Kori Cheverie said. “It was amazing."
Girard replied for Boston at 4:15 with a short-handed breakaway goal and ended the visiting team’s penalty in the process — a new rule the PWHL implemented before the season opened Jan. 1 — before Brandt tied it 1:31 later.
"Obviously being opponents, we're going to feed off the energy too," Pelkey said of the crowd. "It was just a really good night for women's hockey."
The score remained 2-2 until overtime as Frankel shut the door on a persistent Montreal attack.
Early in overtime, Stacey drove hard to the net while Poulin hammered home a rebound to bring the fans to their feet, but Boston coach Courtney Kessel challenged the play.
The crowd chanted "goal!" while the officials reviewed, but the call ultimately fell in Boston’s favour before Pelkey completed the comeback.
"I think Stacey's stick just pushed Frankel's pad back, so it pushes her out of position to make the next save,” Kessel said of what she saw.
"I saw a goal, obviously," Poulin said with a laugh.
Despite the disappointment, the fans gave their new team one last standing ovation to send them off.
"It says a lot," Poulin said. "You can win and have people behind you, but when you lose and you have the people cheer in Montreal, it is very special."
LEGENDS IN THE BUILDING
Some of Quebec’s hockey royalty and pioneers of the women’s game were in the house on Saturday.
Olympic medallists Danielle Goyette, France St-Louis, Kim St-Pierre, Caroline Ouellette and Montreal general manager Daniele Sauvageau lined up at centre ice for the ceremonial faceoff, where Ouellette’s young children dropped the puck between Poulin and Boston captain Hilary Knight.
Poulin believes what happened Saturday wouldn’t have been possible without them.
“They paved the way for all of us,” Poulin said. “It really made me tear up to see them walking up and getting that chant.
“They did a lot for women's hockey across Canada but especially here in Quebec, and having that standing ovation for these ladies, it's unbelievable."
Poulin says she’s honoured to carry the torch for little girls getting on skates and learning to play hockey today, and this league is a big part of that.
"Being a role model for little girls, it's unbelievable. But if I would have been in those shoes, I think the sky would be the limit even more,” she said. “I was able to dream to be part of the national team, but now it's more than that, you're part of the professional league.
“When you're little boys, you're allowed to dream to be part of the NHL. But now when you're a little girl, you can dream to be part of the PWHL."
UP NEXT
Montreal: Hosts New York on Tuesday at Place Bell in Laval, Que.
Boston: Visits Toronto on Wednesday.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Jan. 13, 2024.
Daniel Rainbird, The Canadian Press
