MONTREAL 鈥� It's a win-win scenario for Montreal's Professional Women鈥檚 Hockey League team this season.
With one of the world's best goaltenders swatting pucks away, the team can focus its energy on scoring.
Canadian national team goalie Ann-Ren茅e Desbiens is backstopping an offence-heavy Montreal team for the PWHL鈥檚 inaugural season, and she鈥檚 more than up for 小蓝视频 the last line of defence on a team that鈥檚 bound to take some risks.
"I guess I鈥檒l have to stop some pucks. It'll be fun, if they score a lot of goals then I can let a little more in," Desbiens joked after practice Tuesday at Centre 21.02 in Montreal鈥檚 Verdun borough.
Desbiens, a two-time world champion and Olympic medallist, helped Canada win gold at the 2022 Games with 38 saves in a 3-2 win over the United States in the final.聽
On Saturday, she turned away 22 shots and five shootout attempts in Canada鈥檚 3-2 win over the Americans during a Rivalry Series matchup in Sarnia, Ont.
The 29-year-old from Clermont, Que., was one of Montreal鈥檚 first three signings alongside Canada captain Marie-Philip Poulin and forward Laura Stacey.
Although it鈥檚 not the team鈥檚 intention to leave Desbiens hanging out to dry, Stacey says having a goalie of that calibre allows the skaters to play their game freely.
"Having one of the best goaltenders, if not the best goaltender in the world, I think it's just confidence,鈥� she said. 鈥淲e feel comfortable playing our way, we feel comfortable making maybe a riskier play or just 小蓝视频 confident with the puck, because we know how confident she is back there."
Sauvageau says the foundation for Montreal鈥檚 team is in a good place with Desbiens at one end of the ice, and Poulin, one of hockey鈥檚 most prolific scorers, at the other.
"You want to score and you don't want to be scored on,鈥� said Sauvageau. 鈥淪o when you have Marie-Phillip who can score and Ann-Ren茅e Desbiens who will deny that scoring, our chances to be successful, I mean, it's a good feeling because you're looking at both ends of the ice and you can say 鈥榳ell this is great.鈥�"
Beyond the saves, Desbiens also spreads confidence in her team with her calm and unfazed demeanour, something she鈥檚 gained a reputation for in recent years.
Stacey remembers a time a coach 鈥渁bsolutely ripped into鈥� Desbiens during a TV timeout at a Rivalry Series game, and the netminder followed up by having two of the best period鈥檚 Stacey had ever seen.
鈥淚t just didn't even crack her," said Stacey.
Poulin says sometimes all she needs is a look to know Desbiens is dialed in.
鈥淭he look that we give each other when it's a big moment, when it's a big game, we feel it," said Poulin. "Those little moments when either after a big save or before faceoff, where I just go by her and I look in her eyes, and I see it."
Desbiens admits that sometimes she鈥檚 not so calm on the inside.
鈥淚'll be honest, sometimes it鈥檚 terrifying for me as well and I get stressed, but I guess that's one of my strengths 鈥� I don't let it show,鈥� she said. 鈥淗alf of my job is body language and just how you make people feel. I've always found that when you look confident the players in front of you just play better and are not afraid to make mistakes.鈥�
In college, Desbiens posted a .955 save percentage over four years at the University of Wisconsin and won the 2017 Patty Kazmaier Award as top player in women鈥檚 college hockey her senior year.
She followed that up by hanging up her skates for a year, partially because she didn鈥檛 think there was a viable women鈥檚 pro league in place, before returning to the game and becoming Canada鈥檚 top goalie.
"The fact that I came back and now I can say that I'm goign to play professional hockey is truly special," Desbiens said. "It's something that I didn't think was going to be possible in my playing career."
Montreal opens its season on a three-game road trip beginning on Jan. 2 in Ottawa, where over 5,000 tickets have already been sold at TD Place. The team will then hold its home opener Jan. 13 against Boston in Verdun.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Dec. 19, 2023.
Daniel Rainbird, The Canadian Press
