This excerpt is taken from the book, Breakaway: The PWHL and the Women Who Changed the Game by Karissa Donkin, published by Goose Lane Editions. It’s now available wherever books are sold.
April 20, 2024
Montreal, Quebec
The anticipation was palpable in the arena even before the Montreal team hit the ice. The Bell Centre, with a capacity exceeding twenty-one thousand, is North America’s largest hockey venue, usually hosting the NHL’s Montreal Canadiens. However, on this occasion, the spotlight was on PWHL Montreal, a team that had become the town’s hottest attraction since the launch of the Professional Women’s Hockey League in January.
In a clash between Montreal and Toronto on a Saturday afternoon, the budding rivalry between these two teams, existing for just over four months, was already intense. Montreal had yet to secure a victory against Toronto in their four previous encounters, making this final regular-season match crucial.
The game drew the largest in-person crowd to ever witness a women’s hockey match, setting a new record that surpassed the one set two months earlier when these teams faced off at Toronto’s Scotiabank Arena. Besides the attendance milestone, playoff berths within the six-team league were on the line.
Given the league’s infancy, neither team had established logos or names, priorities that were set aside during the rush to get players on the ice back in January. However, the fans showed unwavering support. Tickets for this game sold out within twenty minutes. The crowd donned maroon-and-cream jerseys simply bearing the name “Montreal,” symbolizing their allegiance to both the team and the city. These jerseys had been unavailable online for months, with long lines forming at rinks for a chance to purchase them.
The arena radiated with a blend of maroon and twinkling purple lights from the light-up wristbands distributed to every attendee. The DJ energized the crowd with a remix of Celine Dion’s “The Power of Love,” the team’s anthem throughout the debut season. As the players appeared in the tunnel on the jumbotron, vibing to Celine’s music, the crowd erupted in cheers.
Leading the team out was Ann-Renée Desbiens, the goaltender hailing from Clermont, a quaint Quebec town nestled along the Malbaie River. Desbiens, a veteran in big-game scenarios, had excelled as the starting goalie for Team Canada, clinching three world championships and an Olympic gold medal. She was a pivotal figure for PWHL Montreal, being among the first three signings by general manager Danièle Sauvageau during the team’s inception.
Following closely was forward Catherine Dubois, whose joy was evident as she glided onto the Bell Centre ice. Merely months ago, Dubois toiled with heavy cement bricks on construction sites in Quebec City, contemplating the end of her hockey career. Little did she expect to find herself in this moment.
Finally, defender Erin Ambrose, scanning the stands in awe, stepped onto the ice. Despite her allegiance to the Toronto Maple Leafs in her youth, Montreal had become a place of solace for Ambrose in 2018 after being snubbed from the Canadian Olympic team. What began as an escape from disappointment transformed into a realm of hockey joy. Selected in the first round of the draft by Sauvageau the previous September, Ambrose felt a sense of completion.
The players circled the ice in their pre-game ritual, gathering