The Ottawa Charge drew a record crowd of 17,114 to the Canadian Tire Centre on Friday, and defender Ronja Savolainen had family in the stands watching her play in front of that size of crowd for the first time.
On Friday evening, the Ottawa Charge returned home to face the Montreal Victoire, and for the first time this season, they took to the ice at the Canadian Tire Centre in what ended up being a record crowd.
And in that Ottawa Charge home venue record-setting crowd of 17,114, defender Ronja Savolainen had very special guests who were watching her play for the first time in front of a crowd of that size.
"They said it was the coolest thing they had ever seen in a hockey game, and the best hockey they had ever been at," Savolainen said of having her family at the game. "That was a cool experience, and I was super happy that they got to see that one and be here at the same time when we had the game. I was happy and a little proud to be on the ice with them there."
While the Charge were unable to win the game despite a strong effort, losing 3-0 to the Victoire, for Savolainen, it's an experience that she'll never forget. And one that started even before the opening puck was dropped.
"It's overwhelming for sure, and you think it's actually insane to be here," said Savolainen about being a part of the starting lineup. "17,000 people are just cheering when they say my name, and I get goosebumps. I wanted to wave, but I was too afraid to do that, so I was trying to be cool."
Fans have routinely packed the confines of the Ottawa Charge at TD Place, as they are averaging 7,225 through the team's nine home games in the building. And with an uncertain future in that home at Lansdowne, the idea of playing full-time at the Canadian Tire Centre is something that Savolainen would see as exciting, but not before appreciating what TD Place has meant to her and the team.
"You feel like this is more your home just because you've been playing here for two years," said Savolainen. "The atmosphere here has been incredible, but then you see that it can be as crazy there, too. Obviously, that would be cool, and to be in the same place as the Sens would be great. I hope in the future, it's going to be a home for us, maybe too."
For Ronja Savolainen, a record-setting night was only topped by the fact that she had family there to enjoy the experience with, too.
And for the team and the league, seeing more than 17,000 fans in the stands makes the prospect of calling Canadian Tire Centre their full-time home even more enticing.