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While there was an appreciation for the game they had just played, the theme following the spirited contest was what an evidently successful weekend could mean for the future.<\/p>\n
\u201cJust walking through the practice rink the other day, there were lineups of people on a Saturday afternoon just to watch us practise. To see all the little girls in the stands, and for them to have the opportunity to watch us live, like that\u2019s so special,\u201d said Leslie.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s been an incredible city. I think, personally, being from Ottawa, I knew that when you\u2019re playing in Winnipeg, it was going to be a great crowd. And I was just really excited that we had this opportunity to play in front of a great crowd.\u201d<\/p>\n
If there was any question about whether Winnipeg had a fan base that would rally around a professional women\u2019s hockey team, a sold-out crowd of 15,225 put that debate to rest, with chants of \u201cWe want a team\u201d breaking out in the third period.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019ve said it before,\u201d began Ste. Anne\u2019s Jocelyne Larocque, \u201cI think geographically it makes a lot of sense, like we\u2019re right central in North America, in Canada. But I think the city just loves hockey, and the fact that the city doesn\u2019t have a pro women\u2019s sports team at all, I think hockey would be a great first one, and I think the city would rally behind it.\u201d<\/p>\n
Let the discourse rage on.<\/p>\n
It was another tightly contested matchup between the Charge and Victoire, who played two similar games earlier in the season.<\/p>\n
The victory improved Ottawa to 5-7-1-9 and secured a crucial two points to keep the Charge on the heels of the Toronto Sceptres \u2014 who are one point ahead at time of writing \u2014 for the fourth and final playoff spot. It\u2019s worth noting that Ottawa and Toronto will play three times in their last eight contests.<\/p>\n
Montreal drops to 10-4-2-5 but still collects a point to remain two back of Minnesota and Boston for first place, which is pivotal in the PWHL, as the top team earns the right to choose its first-round playoff opponent. On the bright side for the Victoire, they have now collected points in all six games since returning from the Olympic break.<\/p>\n
Up next for Montreal is a road trip to face the Minnesota Frost on Wednesday. The Charge are in Seattle to face the Torrent on Sunday.<\/p>\n
Let\u2019s dive a bit deeper into this historic night.<\/p>\n
The locals<\/p>\n
\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t Those in attendance came for the game and stayed for the homegrown talent.<\/p>\n It was quite the homecoming for Larocque and Oakbank\u2019s Kati Tabin.<\/p>\n The 37-year-old Larocque had 240 loved ones in attendance, taking up two full sections of the arena, while the 28-year-old Tabin had about 80 friends and family show up.<\/p>\n Before the game, their teammates showed their love, with players of the Charge arriving with custom Larocque T-shirts and the players on the Victoire doing the same for Tabin.<\/p>\n The Canadian Olympic teammates were serenaded by the crowd during the starting lineup introductions. Tabin drew the loudest roar until Larocque was announced.<\/p>\n They took the ceremonial puck drop at centre ice, which was done by Winnipeg-born Olympic bronze medallist Skylar Park.<\/p>\n Larocque played her usual gritty style, logging two shots and five hits in 22:30 of ice time. Tabin had a slower night until the third period, when she had a half-breakaway that was denied by Gwyneth Philips. Tabin finished with one shot and was a minus-one in 21:50 of ice time.<\/p>\n \u201cOh, man, it definitely sits pretty high (on my career moments),\u201d said Larocque. \u201cGrowing up, I wasn\u2019t sure this day would come. I looked up to NHL players, I looked up to (head coach) Carla (MacLeod) and Team Canada, but to have a pro women\u2019s hockey league and to be able to be a part of it, it\u2019s pretty special.<\/p>\n \u201cI think a lot of my family, friends, just Manitobans in general, to be able to see us live, it\u2019s pretty special. I think of all the young girls that haven\u2019t seen us live yet.\u201d<\/p>\n Despite the loss, the experience was everything Tabin hoped it would be.<\/p>\n \u201cJust the growth of our league is awesome. Now we\u2019re here, and I just remember being a little girl in Oakbank, Manitoba, and I didn\u2019t even think this dream was possible, to play in the Jets\u2019 rink,\u201d Tabin said. \u201cSo, yeah, it would mean the world (to one day have a team in Winnipeg), just like anyone being able to play at home. It\u2019s a super cool opportunity.\u201d<\/p>\n \t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t Something to celebrate<\/p>\n After a scoreless opening period, the Winnipeg crowd was in need of a reason to get out of its collective seat. The fans\u2019 wish was granted as Ottawa\u2019s Peyton Hemp pulled the puck from the corner and slid a sweet cross-crease feed to Gabbie Hughes, who made no mistake with a half-empty cage to score her fifth of the season at the 5:37 mark in the second period.<\/p>\n It was just the seventh time Montreal allowed the first goal in a game this season, which is third-fewest in the league.<\/p>\n There\u2019s no doubting that it was deserved for the Charge, though. Through the first 40 minutes, Ottawa looked like the better and more physical team.<\/p>\n Montreal answered shortly after, as Abby Roque won an offensive zone draw back to Nicole Gosling, who sent a wrister that beat Philips between the wickets for her third goal of the year at the 11:20 mark. It was one that Philips wanted back, as it looked like she may have lost track of the puck, and the shot surprised her.<\/p>\n Tough to beat<\/p>\n Outside their respective lone blips in regulation, it was a standout showing by both goaltenders.<\/p>\n Philips made a number of key stops en route to a 20-save performance, including stymieing Laura Stacey on three different Grade-A looks throughout the contest.<\/p>\n \u201cShe loves her job, and she makes it very apparent. She\u2019s just so very good at it,\u201d said MacLeod. \u201cShe\u2019s so consistent. You know, we speak a lot about her\u2026 she doesn\u2019t roller coaster too much, she stays steady and enjoys when the puck hits her, and that\u2019s a good thing for us.\u201d<\/p>\n Ann-Ren\u00e9e Desbiens made 26 saves on the night and came up big on several occasions, including in the late stages of the third period as Brianne Jenner and Emily Clark charged down the ice on a short-handed two-on-zero, threatening to call game on a jailbreak goal (a shorthanded marker that simultaneously ends a team\u2019s power play).<\/p>\n Jenner and Clark passed it three times between the two of them before Clark took the shot, but was stonewalled by Desbiens.<\/p>\n Three stars<\/p>\n \t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t 1. Rebecca Leslie \u2014 game-winning goal.<\/p>\n 2. Nicole Gosling \u2014 one goal, three shots.<\/p>\n 3. Jocelyne Larocque \u2014 two shots, five hits.<\/p>\n \n\t\tWinnipeg Free Press | Newsletter\n\t<\/p>\n \t\t\tThe Warm-Up<\/p>\n Winnipeg Jets Game Days<\/p>\n On Winnipeg Jets game days, hockey writers Mike McIntyre and Ken Wiebe send news, notes and quotes from the morning skate, as well as injury updates and lineup decisions. Arrives a few hours prior to puck drop.<\/p>\n \t\t\tSign up for The Warm-Up<\/a><\/p>\n \t\t\t\t\t Extra ! Extra!<\/p>\n While it was an overwhelmingly Montreal-favoured crowd, fans of the Victoire didn\u2019t have a full lineup to cheer on.<\/p>\n Montreal was without Captain Clutch, Marie-Philip Poulin, who continues to rehab from a lower-body injury she suffered last week.<\/p>\n It\u2019s been a trying stretch for Poulin, who was injured during the Olympics and missed a pair of games before returning for the medal round, then missed the Victoire\u2019s first game back from the break. She then played two full games, before appearing to aggravate the injury.<\/p>\n winnipegfreepress.com\/joshuafreysam<\/p>\n \t\t\t\t Joshua Frey-Sam Josh Frey-Sam reports on sports and business at the Free Press. Josh got his start at the paper in 2022, just weeks after graduating from the Creative Communications program at Red River College. He reports primarily on amateur teams and athletes in sports. Read more about Josh<\/a>.<\/p>\n Every piece of reporting Josh produces is reviewed by an editing team before it is posted online or published in print \u2014 part of the Free Press\u2018s tradition, since 1872, of producing reliable independent journalism. Read more about Free Press\u2019s history and mandate<\/a>, and learn how our newsroom operates<\/a>.<\/p>\n Our newsroom depends on a growing audience of readers to power our journalism. If you are not a paid reader, please consider becoming a subscriber<\/a>.<\/p>\n Our newsroom depends on its audience of readers to power our journalism. Thank you for your support.<\/p>\n \t\t
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