Poulin: PWHL Montreal home debut 'more than hockey'

PWHL Montreal captain Marie-Philip Poulin believes Saturday's home opener against Boston is much bigger than just a game.

"I cannot wait to wake up tomorrow morning and come into this rink," Poulin told The Canadian Press. "It's gonna be a special moment for all of us. I think it's more than hockey.

"It's going to be for us, for the next generation, for the past players that were there before us ... the Caroline Ouellette's, the Noemie Marin's, and the Charline Labonte's that paved the way for all of us."

General manager Daniele Sauvageau, who coached Canada to Olympic gold in 2002, is eager for puck drop as well.

"If you could invent a word for me, I'd like that," she said. "Because I'm not sure I can put tomorrow into words.

"I'm born in Montreal, raised in Deux-Montagnes, but this is home, and we're receiving the world, with the best hockey players."

Montreal opened its inaugural PWHL campaign with three consecutive road games. It defeated Ottawa and New York, and lost to Minnesota.

Poulin, a three-time Olympic and world champion, registered a hat trick in her last outing and is tied for the league lead with four points.