My Experience: I Flew Across the Country for the PWHL Takeover Tour

Taken by Meghan Petruk.

A few weeks ago I flew from Toronto to Vancouver for the PWHL Takeover Tour game between the Toronto Sceptres and the Montréal Victoire at Rogers Arena. I had a couple of days before the game to take in the city and see the sites; I could not wait for the game! 

Courtesy of the PWHL.

On Wednesday we arrived just after the doors opened and the energy in the concourse was electric! We began with a hunt for merchandise, and though there was not a lot of team specific merchandise, I absolutely loved the takeover tour merchandise for the event. A couple of the t-shirts and hoodies were Vancouver Canucks colours with their signature green and blue, which I thought was a nice touch. 

I absolutely loved Rogers Arena, it is one of the best NHL venues I have been to. The staff was so kind and seemed just as excited about the game as we were.

There were a surprising number of Toronto and Montréal jerseys in the arena, which I wasn’t  expecting for a game on the other side of the country with no current PWHL team.

Toronto Sceptres vs Montréal Victoire. Courtesy of CBC News.

It is clear that the people of Vancouver want a PWHL team and honestly, this game proved that they deserve one. The Vancouver fans are clearly passionate about the PWHL and we love to see it.

As a Toronto fan, the score was disappointing, but the game’s atmosphere made up for it. I expected a win from Montréal, currently the top team in the league, but Montréal was playing on another level, especially thanks to players like Marie-Philip Poulin, also known as Captain Clutch, who scored a fantastic goal from her knees. She’s just too good. 

Montréal Scores! Courtesy of CBC News.

We were surrounded by families, young girls wearing their local hockey jerseys, and groups of women and their friends. The cheering was loud and so many people had made signs! There were also some Vancouver White Caps, Vancouver Rise, and Canadian Women’s Rugby 7s players in attendance amongst others. Overall, it was a very welcoming atmosphere and I personally had a fantastic time at the game. 

In-game attendance announcement. Photo by Meghan Petruk.

The girls pulled in a crowd of 19,038 fans… a sellout! The PWHL Takeover Tour managed to outsell any Canucks game this season! The PWHL Takeover Tour continues as the Montréal Victoire take on the Ottawa Charge in Québec City, Québec.

Edited by Neha Grewal