Rogers Place sold out for PWHL game, support sparks thoughts of local expansion

A Professional Women's Hockey League in Edmonton this weekend is sold out. Jeremy Thompson has the details.

The Professional Women’s Hockey League Takeover Tour (PWHL) is taking over Rogers Place this weekend, and while it’s only the league’s second season, Sunday’s game is sold out.

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Among spectators at Edmonton’s first PWHL game will be the MacEwan Griffins women’s hockey team.

Assistant captain Kori Paterson said she’s been amazed by the growth of the women’s game in the past two years, and she’s starting to get used to the idea of playing hockey beyond post-secondary.

“I remember one (first year) girl was like, ‘Well, I want to go to the PWHL.’ And I was like, ‘Yeah, I guess we can go!’ she said.

Paterson and her team will watch in a sold-out arena as the Ottawa Charge take on the Toronto Sceptres. Average re-sale tickets are going for around $200 in the upper bowl, and as high as $480 for seats closer to the action.

Skating coach and three-time WHL champion Vanessa Hettinger said such strong support is helping give the PWHL and women’s hockey the stage they deserve.

“I’m so excited to see where the female game has come. It is a unique game. It’s a fun game. It’s different to watch, and it’s so inspiring to see that women have a place to go now in hockey,” Hettinger said.

“It used to be women were underestimated or they were ‘included’, but now it’s like, we belong,” she added.

Two players on the Charge hail from Edmonton, and they say the league can’t ignore the obvious enthusiasm from their home-town fans.

“It seems like the Takeover Tour is kind of like a tryout for these cities in a way, to kind of show the PWHL and the league as a whole like what the city has to offer,” said Charge forward Danielle Serdachny.

All the support has some fans talking about a western expansion and perhaps, one day, Albertans will have a home team to cheer on. But for now, Paterson said she’s happy to cheer all the other ones on.

“I’ll root for both of them, I guess, see who’s winning,” she said, laughing.

On Saturday, a free family skate party will be held at Ice District Plaza from 2 to 6 p.m., where visitors can meet PWHL players, as well as Oilers personalities and alumni.

Puck drop for Sunday’s game is at 2 p.m. The game will air on TSN.