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With both the Canadiens and the Rocket having failed to make the Spring dance, hockey fans will still be able to experience the playoffs frenzy which PWHL Montreal’s forward Catherine Dubois pulled no punches when she said:
Of course, in Montreal even in the regular season it’s unbelievable to play in front of the fans, we really have the best fans. In the playoffs, anything can happen and having the crowd cheer us on can only elevate us to a higher level. It’s going to be incredible to live that in Montreal and I’m glad that even if the guys don’t give it [the playoffs] to the fans, we can do it.
The media in the press room immediately laughed at the side dig at the Canadiens and Rocket which prompted Dubois to add a “Cut this! They’ll never let me back in here now!” The joyous atmosphere was a direct result of not only the qualification for the playoffs but also of an evening in which the Verdun Auditorium was rocking. The organization had gone all out for the last home game, hiring well-known singer Kim Richardson to sing the anthems and Michel Kunta, the Canadiens’ crowd entertainer, to get the crowd going.
As for the game itself, it had a lot of action packed into it. New York played with desperation to avoid elimination while Montreal played with fire in the first frame, taking three penalties in the first frame alone. This could have been a highly flammable situation, and it nearly was with New York testing Ann-Renée Desbiens 14 times in the first 20 minutes. The goaltender was on top if her game last night, even making cartwheels in the net like Dominik Hasek so many years ago, it was quite a show. Somehow though, Montreal went back to the room with a 1-0 lead thanks to Catherine Daoust’ first goal of the season, a weird bounce of the glass which beat Corrine Schroeder as she was already behind the net ready to handle the puck.
Since the start of the season, Montreal has struggled to perform well in the second period, but they didn’t struggle at all yesterday, they played a near-perfect period in fact, adding three goals to their lead. Ella Shelton did, however, manage to score a goal for New York on a breakaway with 12 seconds left in the period. Montreal’s other Achille’s heal this year has been the inability to protect a lead. Generally, when a team cuts into their lead the players seem to panic, but yesterday, they benefited from an intermission to refocus.
New York couldn’t score a second goal until nearly 16 minutes of the third had gone by and with a 4-2 score, they turned up the pressure a notch. The crowd was electric, cheering the locals on and giving Abby Roque the “Chara treatment”. Whenever the forward touched the puck, there were loud boos from all around the rink. In the second period, she had an altercation with Catherine Dubois which sent her to the box for the second time in the game and that’s how it all started. The colorful forward had this to say when asked about the crowd’s treatment of Roque:
Seriously, I was really happy. I was like yeah! She deserves it. I was really mad when I went to the penalty box, but hearing the crowd boo her I thought to myself: Thanks! That’s what I thought too! Further asked if that was what gave her the energy to immediately score a goal as she came out of the box, she enthusiastically replied Of Course! I thought good! At least other people saw what she did!
In the end, Montreal resisted the pressure and was even able to add an empty net goal to bring the score to 5-2, thanks to Melodie Daoust who’s been activated for the second time. In the same game, Montreal exorcised two demons: the bad second period and protecting a lead. That pleased head coach Kori Cheverie to no end:
“Yeah, you’re telling me right! Our second period has usually been our nemesis but tonight we felt really good about it and to protect a lead, well, that’s what the playoffs are going to be about. It was a good opportunity for our team to attempt that tonight and you know with four minutes left and the press that New York was putting on in their PK, it was a little scary but you know that’s what it’s going to be about getting through these moments.”
After the game and the obligatory dance celebration, which is now a tradition, general manager Daniele Sauvageau spoke at center ice, thanking the fans for their support all season long. Cheverie then took center stage to speak to the fans and she did it all in French to the crowd’s delight and cheers, which Sauvageau gestured to the crowd to do louder. After her, team captain Marie-Philip Poulin then thanked the fans in both French and English and she once again looked moved by the ovation she received. With an assist last night, Poulin took the lead in points in the league with 22 points in 19 games only, two games less than her nearest rival Natalie Spooner who’s got 21 points in 21 games.
Last night was further proof that Montreal has fallen in love with their new hockey team, a team they can be proud of, and which is not afraid to use “the p-word” unlike a certain other team in Montreal. Cheverie’s team now only has 2 games left in the season and a lot of work to do if they want to finish in first place. When asked if she planned to rest the likes of Ambrose, Poulin, and the players who played the most, she laughed and said: Yeah, you tell them that! The message is clear, her players want to play, and that’s what they’ll do, even in the tail end of the season, take notes NHLers.
Montreal Canadiens Blogger • 
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