Dozens of Ottawa Charge fans made the trip to Laval, Quebec, for Games 1 and 2 of the Professional Women's Hockey League final against the Montreal Victoire, an all-Canadian matchup that fans are calling a celebration of hockey in Canada.
A Superfan's Polyamorous Hockey Love
France Bergeron, a season-ticket holder for both the Ottawa Charge and the Montreal Victoire, describes herself as having a polyamorous relationship with the two teams. Standing outside Place Bell before Game 2 on Saturday, wearing a Victoire jersey and a Charge hat, Bergeron said, For me, it is just women's hockey. It is good hockey, and it is Canadian hockey.
Bergeron, who regularly makes the 200-kilometre trip between Ottawa and Montreal, cheered for every goal regardless of which team scored, watching her two lovers face off in the final.
First All-Canadian PWHL Final
This season marks the first time in the PWHL's three-year history that the Walter Cup will be awarded to a Canadian team. The Minnesota Frost claimed the league's first two titles. Both teams feature prolific Canadian stars as the faces of their franchises. Montreal's Canadian group includes Marie-Philip Poulin, Laura Stacey, and Ann-Renée Desbiens. Ottawa's roster includes Brianne Jenner, Emily Clark, and Jocelyne Larocque.
Even if the Canadian national team could not win Olympic gold in Milan earlier this year, at least some of these players will end their season with a Walter Cup.
Fans United in Celebration
For fans like Jacklyn Cyr and Teagan McLaren, who traveled from Kingston for Game 2, picking a side has been difficult. With these two teams, I do not think it is a head-to-head, Cyr said. I think everyone just cheers for everyone. When Laura Stacey got hurt in Game 1, everyone from Ottawa was in a panic, and it is not even their team. McLaren added, I had tears in my eyes when she was in that much pain.
With Ottawa and Montreal only a two-hour drive apart, many fans made the trip from the national capital to Place Bell. A group of about 40 Charge fans traveled together on a yellow school bus, leaving Ottawa at 8:30 a.m. for the 2 p.m. puck drop.
Charge Fans Make Noise on the Road
You could often hear Charge fans coming before you saw the red jerseys amid a sea of Victoire maroon and cream. The Ottawa fanbase's signature kazoo rally cries echoed through the arena. The chant went, Buh-da-da-da-da-DA! followed swiftly by an emphatic, Charge! But with Charge fans outnumbered, Montreal fans countered with Victoire! after the kazoo.
Patrick Farley, among the bus travelers, sported white, yellow, and red face paint and wore a red Emily Clark Charge jersey, embodying the spirited support for Canadian women's hockey.
