(Pittsburgh) Mary Philip Boleyn had her eye on the future on Saturday, after her goal in overtime allowed Canada to beat the Americans 4-3.
Posted yesterday at 9:54 PM.
It was a friendly match in front of 5,400 people at the Penguin House, hosted by the Women’s Professional Hockey Players Association.
The PWHPA is talking with NHL clubs and sponsors, hoping to launch a professional league within a year.
“It was special, it was more than winning or losing,” said Pauline, who scored the winning goal in the 2:13 minute.
The goal for years has been to be treated like professionals.
Marie Philip Bolin
A little over three weeks ago, Pauline scored the last two goals in the Canadians’ 3-2 gold-medal win over the United States in Beijing.
In Saturday’s tiebreak, Pauline Puck sent the ball home and veered off Megan Keeler, then ran across Nicole Hensley’s podiums.
Blair Turnbull, Jamie Lee Rattray and Jocelyn Larroque also scored for Maple Leaf, who beat the Americans for the fifth time in a row.
Hilary Knight, Hayley Scamora and Hannah Brandt fought on the American side.
Captain Sidney Crosby, the Penguins, watched the match from the box.
The PWHPA was formed three years ago after the Canadian Women’s Hockey League closed.
The goal: to form a professional circuit backed by a sustainable economic model, where players can get more.
“We are closer than ever,” said Gina Heiford, president of the PWHPA.
Penguins coach Mike Sullivan mentioned his daughters as one of the reasons he encourages women’s hockey.
“My daughters have admired players like Cammy Granato or those who have won Olympic gold.
“It’s no different than the little boys wanting to be Crosby, Malik or Letang,” he said, drawing from his credentials on the team.
“This is where the inspiration to play comes from. I think it is up to each of us to make the game of hockey develop in this regard.”
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