Kori Cheverie, Troy Ryan, Laura Stacey and Rebecca Leslie spoke on the upcoming PWHL Takeover Weekend and the growing Toronto, Montreal rivalry.
On March 12, PWHL Montreal head coach Kori Cheverie and PWHL Toronto head coach Troy Ryan, Laura Stacey, and Rebecca Leslie spoke at a press conference detailing the upcoming PWHL Takeover weekend.
The coaches and players touched upon the rivalry, the upcoming matchup in Pittsburgh, PA., and the April 20 game set to take place at the Bell Centre in Montreal.
The Rivalry Travels to the Steel City
With the upcoming game scheduled for Sunday, March 17 between Montreal and Toronto, the physical nature of play will present itself again in the Steel City. Both teams are currently tied for first place in the PWHL standings.
“We can’t wait for it. Obviously, we’ve had some great games against Toronto in the past,” said Stacey. “To get to play in Pittsburgh, in a city that really supports women’s hockey and goes out of their way to make games like these happen. It’s a special moment and I think our team is really looking forward to it.”
Leslie also addressed the expectations before the game: “We’ve had a great reception from [Pittsburgh fans] in the past with our PWHPA events,” said Leslie. “We’ve had some really strong games against Montreal. So, I think the fans are in for a really high-paced, energetic game.”
The game will also be a homecoming of sorts for Cheverie who was formerly a part of the Pittsburgh coaching staff, working as a guest coach in 2023.
“I have chatted a bit with the [Penguins] coaches and the support staff,” said Cheverie. “It’s an organization but it does truly feel like a family… Going back down there, it does feel like a second home.”
Coach Ryan also spoke on what the event means for him: “I had the opportunity to coach the national team down there (in Pittsburgh)... Looking forward to playing Montreal. Just in general, in sports, the Montreal-Toronto rivalry is a heated one. We’re just excited to be the newest chapter in that exciting rivalry.
The Bell (Centre) of the Ball
The PWHL additionally officially announced that the Bay Street rivalry would make its way to the Bell Centre on April 20. With the arena’s capacity of 21,000 seats, fans and league affiliates anticipate the attendance record being broken once more.
“As Montreal, we’ve been fortunate to play in a lot of these big games,” said Stacey, who was at the previous record-breaking games in Ottawa Minnesota, and Toronto. “It keeps getting better and better, and it’s pretty hard to fathom it, to be honest.”
Stacey then spoke on the opportunity to break the record against the rival Toronto team.
“Obviously, that rivalry exists and it’s growing. Every game we play against them continues pushing that rivalry forward. To move to Bay Street and then to the Bell Centre, too, it’s a pretty full-circle moment,” she said.