A PWHL Montreal game is moving to the Bell Centre — 16K more seats to boo Toronto from
Two chances to beat Toronto in one night!
Team captain, Marie-Philip Poulin, celebrates after a goal.
After Toronto set a women’s hockey attendance record in February, the Professional Women’s Hockey League (PWHL) announced that an upcoming game between the PWHL Montreal and PWHL Toronto teams will be moved to the Bell Centre, where hometown fans will get a chance to beat that record.
According to a press release, the game — set for April 20 and dubbed the "Duel at the Top" — was originally scheduled to be played at Verdun Auditorium, which holds 4,114 seats. This is in line with the types of venues where PWHL games have typically taken place so far. The Bell Centre — which has a hockey capacity of over 21,000 — provides an upgrade of more than 16,000 seats.
As this is the league's inaugural season, the move appears to signal growing interest and support among fans.
“Quebecers and Montrealers have shown an outpouring of support for our team this season, regardless of where we have played our games,” said Danièle Sauvageau, PWHL Montreal General Manager, in the press release. “Our fans have been asking us for this and we are happy to be able to give them what they want. It’s exciting to know that we will be playing in the largest hockey venue in North America, and I am certain that our supporters will be louder than ever.”
Before last month's record-setting game, the North American attendance record for a regular-season professional women’s hockey game was 5,938. The PWHL's Montreal versus Toronto game on February 16 brought a crowd of 19,285 to Toronto's Scotiabank Arena, the same arena where the NHL's Toronto Maple Leafs play. The Toronto PWHL team won that game 3-0.
On April 20, Montreal fans have the opportunity to beat the record set in Toronto, giving us two chances to win against our mortal enemies in one night. The stakes could feel just as high as a Leafs versus Habs game — if not higher.
Tickets for "Duel at the Top" go on sale to the public on March 20 at 10 a.m. via Ticketmaster. Anyone who already had tickets to the game at Verdun Auditorium will be contacted in advance of the public sale.
Ticketholders will also be able to witness the magic of PixMob, a Montreal-based company known for its innovative lighting effects at concerts, sporting events and even this year's Super Bowl.
PixMob has since partnered with the PWHL and will be lighting up the crowds at the historic April 20 game — giving players and fans an absolutely electrifying experience.