The Professional Women’s Hockey League announced Thursday that Toronto and Montreal will play their Feb. 16 game at Scotiabank Arena.
The home of the Toronto Maple Leafs — with a capacity of nearly 19,000 — will be the third NHL venue to hold a PWHL game this season.
Minnesota plays out of the Xcel Energy Center, home of the NHL’s Wild, and set a record for the most-attended professional women’s hockey game with 13,316 fans on hand against Montreal on Jan. 6. PWHL New York plays a selection of its games at UBS Arena, home of the NHL’s Islanders.
“We’re thrilled to be bringing PWHL hockey to Scotiabank Arena — a fantastic venue for the latest chapter of one of pro hockey’s fiercest rivalries,” PWHL senior vice-president of hockey operations Jayna Hefford said in a statement. “Whenever Montreal plays Toronto, emotions are high and the intensity rises. Montreal’s first-ever visit to Toronto is the only game on our schedule that night, so all eyes can be focused on our great players.”
The game between Toronto and Montreal, which was originally scheduled to take place at Mattamy Athletic Centre, is being dubbed the “Battle on Bay Street.”
“We are proud to be hosting this historic game here at Scotiabank Arena and opening up the home of our Toronto Maple Leafs to PWHL Toronto and PWHL Montréal to share the excitement of the league with fans across the city and beyond,” Maple Leafs president and alternate governor Brendan Shanahan said in a statement. “Recognizing Toronto’s passion for hockey and the growth of the women’s game, we look forward to offering the opportunity for even more fans to experience PWHL action live at Scotiabank Arena.”
The PWHL began its inaugural season on Jan. 1 with New York defeating Toronto 4-0 at Mattamy Athletic Centre.
