Montreal Victoire to host Boston Fleet in second ‘Duel at the Top’ at Bell Centre
One of the best rivalries in the PWHL is going to be renewed on the big stage once again.
On Thursday, the league announced that the Montreal Victoire will host the Boston Fleet at the Bell Centre in the second annual Duel at the Top. The clash will take place on Saturday, March 1, with a 2 p.m. ET puck drop.
The inaugural event last April was historic, as the battle between Montreal and Toronto set a new women’s hockey attendance record, with 21,105 jamming into the home of the Montreal Canadiens to see Toronto beat the home side in overtime.
Victoire general manager Danièle Sauvageau knows how special it will be to head back to the big barn.
“We’re excited to return to this iconic venue and experience that incredible energy again,” Sauvageau said. “Our fans are the best in the PWHL, and we know they’ll show up in droves to make this another remarkable experience for everyone involved.”
The players involved understood how important the event was. It was another record-breaking night for the PWHL, as the league broke attendance records on both sides of the U.S.-Canada border. It was an exciting night in Montreal, with a playoff-like atmosphere that gave members of both teams a little extra juice.
Victoire netminder Ann-Renée Desbiens hopes this year’s battle against the Fleet is similar to what she experienced last year.
“It was so loud last season at the Bell Centre,” Desbiens said. “I think it will be just as loud this time. What’s more, those in attendance are in for a treat, as the team is playing very well, and we’ll be welcoming our great rivals from Boston.”
It will not be the first time Montreal and Boston meet in an NHL arena this season. The Fleet beat the Victoire 3-2 in a shootout at Climate Pledge Arena, home of the Seattle Kraken, on Jan. 5, the first game of the Takeover Tour. Montreal went on to play the next two Takeover games in Vancouver and Denver, going 1-1-1 on the Western road trip.
The Duel at the Top will be the third of six meetings between the Victoire and Fleet this season, with the teams splitting the first two matchups.
The Victoire (6-2-1-2) is first in the PWHL, three points ahead of the Minnesota Frost. The Fleet (3-2-2-4) sit fifth, one point back of the New York Sirens for the last playoff spot.