Professional Women's Hockey League draws sold-out crowd in Vancouver

It was a momentous occasion for thousands of Vancouverites on Wednesday, as a sold-out Rogers Arena welcomed the Professional Women's Hockey League (PWHL) to the city for the first time.

The Toronto Sceptres battled the Montreal Victoire in the second game of the PWHL's "Takeover Tour" of neutral-site games. The Victoire emerged victorious with a 4-2 win.

The enthusiastic reception to professional women's hockey could be a positive sign for Vancouver, with the league saying the takeover tour — which is travelling across the continent — is a test of where potential expansion teams might take root.

With all the PWHL teams based significantly east of Vancouver — the closest team would be Minnesota in the U.S. midwest — and much of B.C. not seeing professional women's hockey for over a decade, those in attendance on Wednesday said the excitement was infectious.

It was an excited atmosphere within a sold-out Rogers Arena on Wednesday, when the Professional Women's Hockey League came to town as part of a slate of neutral-site games. (Courtney Dickson/CBC)

"I thought it was a good chance for the women to show that they can do exactly what men can do," said Ava McGinley, a junior hockey player. "And it's just super fun that we could have the experience of playing up there one day."

McGinley and her teammate Naz Mansour both play with the Fraser Valley Rush U-18 AAA program. They said pro hockey is something they'd potentially like to strive toward.

"Essentially, if it's something you want to pursue, it's a possibility now," Mansour said.

"And the women that are currently playing in the league are paving the way for us, for this possibility."

WATCH | Junior hockey players express optimism over PWHL coming to B.C.: 

Both girls joined an exuberant crowd of over 19,000 people at Rogers Arena, the home of the NHL's Vancouver Canucks. Tickets to the game were sold out within days of release.

A CBC News reporter in attendance said the crowd was excited throughout the evening, and many spectators held up signs begging for the league to come to Vancouver.

Many fans in attendance expressed optimism over the direction of professional women's hockey. From left, Audrey, 8, and Claire Statham, 12, are seen outside the arena. (Nav Rahi/CBC)

The PWHL saw great success in its first season in 2023-24, including drawing the largest-ever crowd for a women's hockey game in Montreal.

However, being in its infancy, the league acknowledged that basing all of its teams within a few hundred miles — within Central Canada, the U.S. midwest and East Coast — was to trim costs as the league found its footing.

Montreal Victoire's Abigail Boreen (24) and Toronto Sceptres' Renata Fast (14) vie for the puck during the first period. (Ethan Cairns/The Canadian Press)

Jayna Hefford, the league's senior vice-president of hockey operations, said the PWHL was thrilled with the response it received in Vancouver.

"We're looking at if there's an opportunity to be a part of that market at some point in the future, and Vancouver is no different," she told CBC News. "Again, a great hockey city, someplace that I think we see a lot of potential in."

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Hefford acknowledged there would be challenges in basing an expansion team on the West Coast, and distance and travel time would be one of them.

"But it's not one that's insurmountable or one that any other league hasn't found a solution to," she said.

Victoire prevail

In front of an announced crowd of 19,038 fans, the Victoire (4-2-1-1) won 4-2 over the PWHL's cellar dwellers, the Sceptres (2-0-1-5).

In the PWHL, three points are awarded for a win in regulation, two for an overtime win and one for an overtime loss. The win over the Sceptres means the Victoire take the top spot in the PWHL standings over the Minnesota Frost.

Toronto Sceptres' Daryl Watts (9) celebrates with her teammates after scoring against the Montreal Victoire during the second period. (Ethan Cairns/The Canadian Press)

Mikyla Grant-Mentis, Marie-Philip Poulin and Claire Dalton scored to help Montreal build a 3-0 lead in the second period.

But Toronto roared back to set up an exciting final frame, with Daryl Watts scoring in the second period and Jesse Compher in the third.

The Sceptres' comeback bid came up short, though, and Poulin nabbed her second goal of the night on an empty net after goalie Kristen Campbell was pulled in favour of an extra skater.

Montreal Victoire's Mikyla Grant-Mentis (18) celebrates her goal against the Toronto Sceptres with teammates during the first period. (Ethan Cairns/The Canadian Press)