Tabin, Larocque relish in Manitoba PWHL game

The eyes of the Professional Women’s Hockey League were on Manitoba last weekend, and the Keystone province didn’t disappoint.

The Canada Life Centre in downtown Winnipeg was completely sold out for a PWHL Takeover Tour game between the Ottawa Charge and Montreal Victoire. While Ottawa may have come out with a 2-1 win thanks to a Rebecca Leslie tally just 12 seconds into overtime, after the game both teams were impressed by Winnipeg.

The PWHL is in the middle of their third year, expanding to eight teams this season. The league started their “Takeover Tour,” series of games last season, bringing top women’s hockey action to markets that don’t yet have a PWHL team.

“There were line-ups of people on a Saturday afternoon just to watch us practice,” Leslie said after the game.

“To see all the little girls in the stands, for them to have the opportunity to watch us live, that’s so special.”

Both teams have an Eastman connection, with Ottawa’s Jocelyne Larocque hailing from Ste Anne and Montreal’s Kati Tabin playing her minor hockey in Oakbank.

“The growth of our league is awesome,” Tabin, who played with Balmoral Hall, said.

“I didn’t think this dream was possible, to play in the Jets’ rink… The majority of my friends and family, I haven’t been able to play in front of since high school.”

Larocque’s teammates even all donned custom t-shirts with the veteran defender on it before the game began. “Tonight, I’m sure sparked more dreams of girls wanting to play pro hockey,” Larocque said after the game.

“It’s there, it’s tangible. Growing up, it was tough to play hockey. My sister and my cousin were the only girls and now in my hometown there’s girls hockey at every level and the town hasn’t grown.”

More than 200 people from Ste Anne and the Eastman Selects team coached by Larocque’s sister, were in attendance for the game.

“Growing up, I wasn’t sure this day would come,” Larocque said after the game.

“I looked up to NHL players, I looked up to (now Charge head coach Carla MacLeod) and Team Canada, but to have a pro women’s hockey league and be a part of it, it’s pretty special.”

MacLeod played for Team Canada when they claimed the gold medal during the 2007 world women’s championship in Winnipeg.

“We never take for granted when we walk into a building like this and it’s full,” MacLeod said.

“It’s still something we take a lot of pride in and feel very fortunate to be a part of. This market is a hockey market.”

Many of the fans in attendance were kids, who crowded along the boards during team warm-ups.

“You could tell it was going to be a sold out crowd by a lot of people at warm-up already, and around the glass with all their signs,” Montreal head coach Kori Cheverie said.

“I can remember when I was young and I had to wake up at 5 a.m. to watch a (National Women’s Hockey League) final because it wasn’t on primetime and it wasn’t going to be on TSN highlights. To be able to be in front of this type of crowd but also to be on prime time television is very special, and it’s amazing growth to see in my lifetime.”

Manitoba Junior Hockey League referee Amy Martin was selected to officiate the game. The win gave key points to both teams in the standings, as Ottawa battles Toronto for the fourth and final playoff spot and Montreal trails Minnesota and Boston by two points for first place.

Toronto is back-stopped by fellow Ste Anne player Raygan Kirk, who posted consecutive shutouts March 15 and 17 as Toronto kept their one-point advantage.