In front of a packed crowd at the Verdun Auditorium in Montreal, the Force beat the Riveters. The Montreal Force hosted their only game in their home rink and beat the visiting Metropolitan Riveters 5-3 in front of over two thousand fans in attendance to witness their fresh brand new hockey team.
The visitors opened the scoring less than seven minutes into the opening frame as Fanni Garat Gasparics managed to get a quick feed and beat the starting Montreal goaltender Tricia Deguire as the puck squeaked by her.
It would take the home side until the end of the first period with 17.5 seconds left on the clock as Anne Sophie Bettez got a stunning pass from Jade Downie-Landry and beat the opposing Riveters goaltender Rachel McQuiggie to tie the game at one.
Eight minutes into the second period Downie-Landry was at it again as she seemed like one of the fastest players on the ice with Montreal on the power play, glided to the opposing net, and sniped the puck top corner to give them the lead.
It stayed 2-1 until, with 1:33 left in the middle frame Sarah Bujold with a slick feed from Katie Babstock and another solid wrist shot, beat Deguire to knot the game at two. The second period finished once again in a 2-2 deadlock.
The Force entered the third period and scored two unanswered goals in the final frame as both Downie-Landry and Sophie-Bettez added to their goal totals to the delight of the home crowd, while Downie Landry sealed the win with a late empty net goal to secure the hat trick.
Deguire made 19 saves in the win, and these two teams will meet again on Sunday, this time at the Raymond Bourque Arena in Montreal before the team sets off on a tour of Quebec playing seven games in seven different cities.
Post Game
Head coach Peter Smith looked pleased in his post-game scrum and gave his thoughts on the win and the game.
” I thought we had a slow start,” Smith said. ” I thought we looked nervous to start, which is completely understandable with the big crowd and our first home game, but I thought we built as the game went along.”
Even with only 3200 in attendance, which exceeded expectations for the home opener, the building was so loud you could barely hear yourself think, and the players mentioned they couldn’t even hear each other on the ice.
” I think the third period was terrific, I think we moved a lot of pucks to the net, so I liked our game, and it was really something to build on.” Smith also added about the performance of Jade Downie Landry, who finished the game with three goals and two assists.
” I thought she played really well, and to score the three goals, I am really happy for her and especially the empty net as she got the pass, and that’s the type of culture we want on this team, being unselfish and I really liked it.”
Another one of his star players is Anne Sophie Bettez, who also scored two goals, and he was asked about her leadership skills on the team.
” I can’t say enough, we got great leadership from everybody, and she does everything right, and she is a super role model who cares and plays hard, and we are very fortunate to have a player like that on our team.”
Smith elaborated on the team’s first opener, and overall he was thrilled with it and said he loved the loud noise and energy.
” I think it was terrific, were finally women’s hockey here in Montreal, and to have a crowd like that this is what these players deserve, so I was really happy for them, and the crowd enjoyed it, and it was an entertaining game.”
He was also asked about the team making several stops in cities across the province of Quebec with the goal of evolving and growing the game.
” I think it’s a real positive that we’re building the game and growing it across the province, and I think that’s great, and we are ready for it.”
Sophie Bettez, one of the game’s stars today, also spoke to the media to talk about the win and the home opener.
” We were excited to play, we had not played in three weeks, and our last game was in Buffalo. We had one game canceled, and the fans were behind us, and everybody chipped in, and we had team success with a great product on the ice and better people in the stands.”
She explained that it was the first year that she and Jade Downie Landry, who seemed to have instant chemistry, only started playing together this year, but the duo seemed to work just fine.
” It’s a fairly new linemate connection, and hopefully, we can keep getting better, but today was amazing to find each other on the ice and be thinking the same way, and with the game speed, you need to know where the other player is.”
Sophie Bettez also gave her two cents on the homecoming of the new team in town, and she was pretty pleased with the result.
” It was amazing, and this is a product of Kevin Raphael, who has been working behind the scenes putting this together.”
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