It was a tough year for Canadian women's hockey fans, but it will end on a high note with the Walter Cup coming to Canada for the first time with the Montreal Victoire and Ottawa Charge looking to the crown, and Canadian fans itching for a pro hockey title.
It wasn't an easy year for Canadian women's hockey fans. USA beat Canada for gold at the Olympics, World Championships, U-18 World Championships, and Para Ice Hockey World Championships.
But this year, for the first time, a Canadian team will win the PWHL's Walter Cup.
That fate was decided this week after the Montreal Victoire eliminated the Minnesota Frost, and the Ottawa Charge sent the Boston Fleet packing.
Ottawa captain Brianne Jenner was part of Canada's Olympic and World Championship team. She knows what it takes to get to the Walter Cup final after leading the Charge to the final last year where they fell to Minnesota. And she know how important the all-Canadian final is to fans north of the border.
"Really proud of our group that we're able to make it back here," said Jenner. "It's not easy to get to this point. You know, we know that there's one step left, and it's gonna be the hardest step, but super proud of this group, and I think just... as a Canadian, it's pretty exciting for Canadian hockey fans. You know, there's a good rivalry between our fan bases with how close we are."
The last time a Canadian team won an NHL title was in 1993 when the Montreal Canadiens captured the Stanley Cup. It's been a long time since a Canadian team has won a major professional hockey title, but that's about to change.
"I think it's really exciting," said Jenner. "Some Canadian hockey fans have been itching for having a professional trophy on Canadian soil, so I think it's really exciting."
"It's the talk of the town in Ottawa and Montreal, two really big meccas of hockey."
Montreal feels it too. While the league has fans across the globe, Montreal and Ottawa have passionate groups behind them, and they're feeling it from coast to coast in Canada.
"It's gonna be something that the fans haven't seen yet," said Montreal head coach Kori Cheverie of an all-Canadian final. "It's going to be a good rivalry. I feel like there's good rivalry between every team in this league, but certainly the history that we have with Ottawa, there's rivalry there. Also, our fans are so close together that there's an opportunity for people to kind of travel back and forth, which is really cool."
"I think our league continues to grow the game on both sides of the border, and I think that people are really excited that the Walter Cup will have a new home this year."
Montreal won the regular season series 3-1 against Ottawa, but as Ottawa proved against Boston, they're a team that's capable of taking down a top team to prove they are in fact the top team.
Game one gets underway Thursday, May 14 at Place Bell at 7pm.