ItB次元官网网址檚 a womenB次元官网网址檚 pro hockey homecoming for Jennifer Gardiner and Rylind MacKinnon.

The pair of B.C. players will participate in the first Professional WomenB次元官网网址檚 Hockey League game in their home province when the Toronto Sceptres and Montreal Victoire clash Wednesday in Vancouver.

Victoire forward Gardiner of nearby Surrey, B.C., and Sceptres defender MacKinnon of Cranbrook, B.C., are both PWHL rookies.

B次元官网网址淒efinitely had the Vancouver game circled since I heard about it,B次元官网网址� Gardiner said.

WednesdayB次元官网网址檚 game at Rogers Arena, which is sold out, is the second of nine neutral-site PWHL games in its B次元官网网址淭akeover TourB次元官网网址� that, in addition to showcasing womenB次元官网网址檚 pro hockey around North America, will also test potential expansion markets.

The six-team PWHL has stated the desire to expand by up to two clubs in its third season in 2025-26.

The Victoire lost 3-2 in a shootout Sunday to the Boston Fleet at SeattleB次元官网网址檚 Climate Pledge Arena in the tourB次元官网网址檚 opener.

The neutral-site circuit also includes stops Jan. 19 in Quebec City (Montreal versus Ottawa Charge) and Feb. 16 in Edmonton (Toronto versus Ottawa), in addition to games in Denver, Detroit, St. Louis, Buffalo, N.Y. and Raleigh, N.C.

B次元官网网址淎 lot of players are just talking about exploring these new cities and getting to tap into these new markets, rather than the toll itB次元官网网址檚 going to take on us,B次元官网网址� Gardiner said.

MacKinnon, 24, helped the University of British Columbia Thunderbirds to three conference championships in her five seasons there, so playing a pro game in Vancouver feels like a mixture of novelty and nostalgia.

B次元官网网址淟ooking forward to seeing a lot of that hockey community come out to that game, and some of the players I played with and coaches that I met along the way,B次元官网网址� said MacKinnon, who is on a one-year contract with the Sceptres.

B次元官网网址淚n university, I think the most IB次元官网网址檝e ever played in front of was maybe just over 1,000, so the first few games of the PWHL already surpassed that by many. ItB次元官网网址檒l be quite the atmosphere. IB次元官网网址檓 really excited to take it in and have some familiar faces in the crowd as well.B次元官网网址�

SheB次元官网网址檚 among a handful of U Sports alumni to make a PWHL roster in the leagueB次元官网网址檚 infancy.

The majority of North American players in the PWHL came through the NCAA, but Concordia centre Emmy Fecteau was a sixth-round draft pick of the New York Sirens in 2024 and has scored a goal in seven games.

B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 definitely not the traditional route to the league, but playing in Vancouver even, I think, will expose some more of this league to those western Canadian universities, so IB次元官网网址檓 looking forward to that,B次元官网网址� MacKinnon said.

Gardiner, who helped the Ohio State Buckeyes claim an NCAA title last year, was drafted 11th overall by Montreal and signed a two-year contract with the Victoire. She has a goal and four assists in seven games.

B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 pretty hard to believe this is the new reality because itB次元官网网址檚 an incredible experience,B次元官网网址� she said

Gardiner was just eight years old, but remembers her current Victoire teammate Marie-Philip Poulin scoring two goals in the Olympic womenB次元官网网址檚 hockey final in Vancouver in 2010 en route to CanadaB次元官网网址檚 gold medal.

Montreal (3-2-1-1) was tied atop the standings Monday with reigning Walter Cup champion Minnesota Frost while the slumping Sceptres (2-0-1-4) were in the cellar.

Since the PWHL declared its expansion intentions, the burning question has been where and how far afield from the central-east North American corridor where the half-dozen clubs are based?

B次元官网网址淧retty much every conversation, everyone wants to know where the expansion markets are and if I know anything,B次元官网网址� said Fleet forward and American star Hilary Knight.

B次元官网网址淲ould I love to see teams out west? Absolutely. ItB次元官网网址檚 a prime hockey market, especially in the States, and obviously proven in Canada.

B次元官网网址淚t just depends how much money youB次元官网网址檙e willing to spend on the transportation part of it and getting into a new community. B次元官网网址� WhatB次元官网网址檚 super-exciting is weB次元官网网址檙e able to have these outreach games and sort of test markets.B次元官网网址�