‘So much love’: Montreal Victoire celebrate Walter Cup win with downtown

After a challenging season, Montreal’s newest hockey champions are enjoying a walk in the park.

The Montreal Victoire are celebrating their first Professional Women’s Hockey League championship win with a downtown Saturday, capped off by speeches and music in the city’s main entertainment district.

At a park packed with thousands of cheering fans sporting the team’s maroon jerseys, the team strode on stage to thank their coaches and supporters, grooving to Celine Dion and Queen while sipping from beer cans and the Walter Cup itself.

Team captain Marie-Philip Poulin says she’s been feeling “so much love” from fans amid more than a week of festivities.

One of those fans, season ticket holder Paola Lara, says she’s followed the team with her niece since the league kicked off in 2024, drawn to the family-friendly atmosphere and spirit of acceptance and competition.

The Victoire defeated the Ottawa Charge 4-0 on May 20 to become the first PWHL Canadian team to win the Walter Cup.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published May 30, 2026.