Soaring Ottawa Charge focused on present but peeking ahead to PWHL game in Edmonton

Article content

After the PWHL’s “takeover tour” generated such tremendous support in Vancouver on Wednesday, the surging Ottawa Charge can’t help but peek ahead to their first such date, at Edmonton’s Rogers Place on Feb. 16, against the Toronto Sceptres.

The 18,500-seat home of the Oilers is almost sold out — Ticketmaster shows the few remaining ducats range from $185-$611 — which is in line with the capacity crowd of 19,038 that turned out in Vancouver to watch the Montreal Victoire score a 4-2 victory over the Sceptres.

The first of the neutral-site games did not draw a full house in Seattle, Washington, where 12,608 showed up at 18,300-seat Climate Pledge Arena for the Boston Fleet’s 3-2 shootout win over the Victoire, but as the league eyes expansion in 2025. it has to be thrilled by the numbers in Canada.

“The fact that the fans of hockey are loving this league as much as they are … It’s not always about where, it’s just that across the board, particularly in hockey-known cities, that this league has been able to capture people because the quality that it is, I think that’s the impressive part,” said Charge coach Carla MacLeod, who was born in Spruce Grove, Alta. “I think there are a lot of markets that would be a great home for the PWHL, and it’s neat that we’re getting to do these ‘takeover tour’ dates because it’s just expanding our game into all these different communities.

Asked what it would mean to people in Western Canada to get a franchise, MacLeod replied: “I think it would mean the same to anyone who’s able to get the next franchise or franchises … it would mean a ton.

“It’s just so fun,” she said of the league. “The product is one thing, and being a part of the game and the league is one thing, but it’s the impact it’s having on the community, the impact it’s having on sports fans, the impact it’s having on young girls to dream. So if a franchise, or a couple of them can end up out west, I think it’s great. But I also think it’d be great if they could go to the Maritimes. I think it would be unreal markets there as well. So to me, it’s just giving more people the opportunity to have exposure to this great league.”

Along with MacLeod, the Charge has six players from Western Canada: Danielle Serdachny and Stephanie Markowski (Edmonton), goalies Emerance Maschmeyer (Bruderheim, Alta.) and Logan Angers (Winnipeg), Emily Clark (Saskatoon) and newly acquired Jocelyne Larocque (Ste. Anne, Man.).

Their families and friends were among the many who snapped up tickets for the game in Edmonton as soon as they went on sale.

“It doesn’t surprise me,” said MacLeod. “I think with the Oilers and the history that they’ve got in that community, of what hockey can do for a community, and the Oil Country folk, they love the game. I was fortunate to be somewhat exposed to those markets with my youth hockey, playing in Spruce Grove and in Calgary, and you can see what hockey means in those communities. I’ve been able to play in those (Vancouver and Edmonton) venues with the national team, and people came out and watched and supported the team.

“I’m always sort of humbled when you see these fans show up in the way they have for this league. But knowing what that community in Edmonton is, and how passionate they are about hockey … they’re hockey fans. They understand that this is a great product. It’s going to be an incredible experience for sure, for our team and our players.”

Meanwhile, the Charge will be riding a three-game winning streak into their game with the Boston Fleet on Saturday at 2 p.m. at TD Place. The Charge is 2-0 since acquiring defender Larocque and forward Victoria Bach in a Dec. 30 deal with the Sceptres.

At 4-0-1-3, the Charge has 13 points and sits third in the PWHL standings behind the front-running Victoire (17 points) and Minnesota Frost (16 points).

The Fleet, which defeated the Charge 3-2 in Boston on Dec. 17, is fifth with 10 points.

“I think the story’s been a little bit different in all of them, and I think that’s what we’re working towards, just finding our consistency in who we are and how we want to go about things,” MacLeod said the winning streak. “It’s always a work in progress for us. We also know that every game is a new entity, it’s going to be close, and either team can win. So it’s just being focused on our game and what we want to do. It’s just about making sure that we’re dialed in on our details and making sure that we’re trying to play the best to our ability every game. That’s really all we can do.”