Winthrop resident Jillian Dempsey, whose Montreal team just clinched a playoff berth in the Professional Women’s Hockey League, will be in action Saturday against Boston in a game at the Tsongas Center in Lowell. Faceoff is 3:30 p.m.
“I can’t wait to get on the ice against Boston and play in front of my family, friends, and fans back home to close out the regular season,” Dempsey told the Sun-Transcript this week. “Montreal just clinched the second playoff spot, and I think our fan base has played an important role in our success so far.”
Dempsey and the Montreal team have been breaking attendance records all season, most recently for their game against Toronto at the Bell Centre in Montreal.
“It was electrifying to play in front of 21,105 fans against Toronto April 20,” said Dempsey, a former star at Harvard. “That game broke the world attendance record for women’s hockey, and it was exciting to be on the ice, play in front of such a packed crowd, and be part of that moment in women’s hockey history. I’m grateful for all of the fan love and support, especially in Boston.”
During her appearance versus Boston earlier this season, scores of fans held signs welcoming back the Boston Pride’s all-time leading scorer to the area. Several of her colleagues at the Cummings School, where Dempsey was a fifth-grade teacher, were also in attendance.