Michigan natives relish in ‘special’ record-breaking PWHL game in Detroit

One of the notable trends during the PWHL Takeover Tour is how the league has highlighted local players when able. Sunday night in Hockeytown was no different.

In the league’s eighth stop on the tour, the Minnesota Frost met the New York Sirens at Little Caesars Arena in Detroit. Along with star players like Sarah Fillier and Kendall Coyne Schofield, four of the six players with Michigan ties were in action.

Mellissa Channell-Watkins, of Plymouth, faced off against Sault Ste. Marie native Abby Roque, Taylor Girard, of Macomb, and Detroit native Elle Hartje of the Sirens.

The quartet was elated to participate in another successful night for the league in the Motor City. After last year’s Takeover game drew a then-record 13,716, a crowd of 14,288 piled into the home of the Detroit Red Wings on Sunday night, breaking the U.S. attendance record for a women’s pro hockey contest.

Channell-Watkins was amazed by the turnout on Sunday night.

“I never thought growing up that I would be able to play in a professional women’s hockey game in my home state,” Channell-Watkins said after the game. “So, it was kind of a dream come true…Little Caesars arena showed up. Everybody here has been so welcoming. It’s just been such a great opportunity. Just seeing all the girls in the stands wearing their youth hockey jerseys, now they can see it. Now, they have something to look forward to in their future.”

Girard, who was with Boston during last year’s game in Detroit, admitted this year’s Takeover contest was something to behold.

“I think it exceeded my expectations, for sure,” Girard said. “I mean, we just broke the U.S. record. That’s so special. I had chills out there. So cool to see everybody…I wish I got to experience this growing up.”

Hartje, Girard and Channell-Watkins came up through the youth hockey system in Detroit. Hartje and Channell-Watkins both played for the well-known Little Caesars program, with Hartje also spending time with Belle Tire. Girard played her minor hockey days at Honeybaked before making the jump to the college ranks.

Roque was the outlier of the group. Growing up in the state’s Upper Peninsula, the only option she had to play was with boys, cutting her teeth with Sault Ste. Marie High School before finally playing women’s hockey at the University of Wisconsin. Going to Red Wings games as a kid was a big deal for her and her family, and having the chance to play in Hockeytown was something she’ll never forget.

“Obviously in Michigan,” Roque explained. “That was the big trip when you’re a kid, to go see the Red Wings play. That was really kind of the only option around here to see this level of hockey unless you wanted to go watch men’s college. So, being able to have this game and see all the little girls, I mean, you look around, there’s every little team jersey you could imagine from the state coming to this game. So, it is really special.”

Sirens assistant coach Josh Sciba, a native of nearby Westland, Michigan, admitted the atmosphere highlighted the growth of the women’s game in the state.

“You look at the crowd out there, I think it speaks volumes to what hockey means to Hockeytown,” Sciba said.” I think it’s a really special opportunity that we get to participate in a game here, and just to be around these players…to see how they interact with the young girls that are at these games. To see the environment here in Detroit, to feel that passion…you hear the chants of, ‘We want a team.’ I think it’s just a really special opportunity for us. I think we’re really grateful to be part of it here.”

Roque was the only one of the bunch who got onto the scoresheet, picking up a secondary assist on Jamie Bourbonnais’ tally near the halfway mark of the opening frame.

The Sirens went on to win the game, 4-1, picking up a needed three points to keep their slim playoff hopes alive.

With another great crowd in Detroit, the topic of expansion came up. Executive VP of Business Operations, Amy Scheer, acknowledged another great crowd at LCA, and was asked about where Detroit was on the list for potential expansion.

“What makes you think they’re not at the front right now?” Scheer chuckled. “Listen, Detroit has been wonderful for us. We’ve had two great games here…and they are certainly very much under consideration. We’ve got, I don’t know if it’s one week, two weeks more of some work to do. So, we’re really at the point now of waiting to hear back on what the board would like to do…we love playing here. Our players love playing here, and so we’ll see where the chips fall in a few weeks.”

While a pro team would help grow the women’s game in the state, the presence of an NCAA D-I women’s program would help as well. The University of Michigan has been making strides at bringing a team to Ann Arbor, though nothing is set in stone.

When asked about what would be better for advancing women’s hockey in Michigan, Girard says either would be helpful.

“I don’t think there’s one or the other that would be more beneficial just having visibility of great women’s hockey players,” Girard said. “To be able to show the young generation that there is more after college, to be able to take that next step and just have someone to look up to.”

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