Our Girls Play Hockey: A Year in the Life of Olympic Gold Medalist and Walter Cup Champion Hayley Scamurra

SPEAKER_03 1:20

This episode is powered by NHL Sense Arena. Hello, hockey friends and families around the world, and welcome to this very special edition of Our Kids Play Hockey. You know, this past season, the 2025-6 season, we set out to follow a day in the life of our co-host Haley Skimora. And what we ended up with was basically documenting history. Olympic camps, PWHL training camp, a new team in Montreal for Haley, a gold medal run, a media whirlwind, a playoff push, the Walter Cup itself, and a championship parade to boot. This is the story of a season that begins with uncertainty and ends with Haley becoming the first woman ever to win a gold medal and the Walter Cup in the same year. So sit back and enjoy this edition of A Day in the Life. Haley is at the dawn of a new season. And what a new season means for Haley is a lot of hockey, a lot more than you probably think. So what we wanted to do today for the kids, especially for the parents, is give you a bird's eye view. We're going to look right into the life of a professional hockey player who's also an Olympian, who's also someone who likes to work in the community, and also a podcast host to give you an idea of what it looks like to be in professional hockey. And maybe, maybe at the end, even weigh a little bit, youth hockey versus professional hockey, who has it harder? Everybody's got it hard, people, just so you know. But uh Ellie, let me bring you in here. Like the first question is let's just for the audience, let's go through from now we're recording this in August or season. What are all of the events coming up for you?

SPEAKER_05 3:07

It's gonna be a crazy year, that's for sure. So basically, with Team USA, they're gonna have their top 30 girls who are trying out for the 23 spots for the Olympic team. Uh each month, pretty much, we're meeting for either a camp or a rivalry series. So that starts in August in Lake Placid. It'll be a 10-day camp. Um, and just another evaluation camp, another touch point to have with everyone. So nothing necessarily other than that is happening. Um then in September, we're gonna meet again for another like seven or eight days. Uh, we'll be in Michigan that time. Then in October, we'll meet again for another seven to eight days in Minnesota. And then November, we're gonna have Rivalry Series. And actually, those games are in Cleveland and Buffalo, so my hometown. So I'm super excited uh for that. And then in December, we'll have another rivalry series, which I don't think they've announced where yet. Uh, it'll be somewhere in Canada. And then in January, I do believe we meet again, but at that point it would be down to like the 23 players. So how they'll get to the 23 during that time frame is not really determined. And meanwhile, also in November, we meet with our pro teams for training camp right after that rivalry series. And then the season will probably get started, which this also hasn't really come out, but sometime in end of November, early December.

SPEAKER_01 4:35

Wow.

SPEAKER_05 4:35

Uh, so it's a lot of travel and a lot to juggle.

SPEAKER_03 4:41

Okay, so at this point, nothing is guaranteed. Not a spot on Team USA, not where Montreal will finish in the standings, and certainly not the Walter Cup itself. Haley is trying to balance two hockey worlds at once, chasing an Olympic roster spot while playing a full professional season. Again, something that's new to all of women's hockey. But through all of it, her focus remains simple. Know her role, own what she brings, and keep showing up. This is the first year ever where really there's a professional league, an extremely well-established professional league for women and the Olympics at the same time. Let's get let's get towards the PWHL now. Okay, so look, August, September, October, Team USA. Then suddenly you have a pro schedule on the horizon for the first time playing with Montreal this year. Um massive names there as well. So let's start with this question. What has USA hockey and and actually hockey Canada, we should say, and the PWHL had to do to navigate this? Because, like you said, now you you're not gonna be together for the six months of the Olympics. In fact, you're gonna be playing against your future teammates 100%.

SPEAKER_05 5:53

Absolutely. Um, they've had to work a lot together in terms of scheduling is the biggest thing because USA hockey and Canada have always been so used to like they can just schedule whenever. Right? We can come whenever. And now that we have our pro league, they have to work around it a little bit more. So it's definitely a little bit more nuanced, but there are international breaks that they're able to schedule things in.

SPEAKER_03 6:16

Awesome.

SPEAKER_05 6:17

Because then, you know, the European players also go and different things like that. So in that sense, it's worked out pretty well, I would say.

SPEAKER_01 6:25

Right.

SPEAKER_05 6:25

Um, but that's definitely been the biggest change for sure, because now this residency, we're not, you know, living together in the same place and working every day together. But regardless, we're all still working towards that goal all the time.

SPEAKER_01 6:38

Right.

SPEAKER_05 6:38

Uh regardless if we're there or not. And then we're still meeting every month. So it's uh we're we're still reporting.

SPEAKER_03 6:46

Well, you know what's interesting about it? Like I do want to describe this undertaking because there are these are well, actually, there's multiple governing bodies now that I'm thinking about. You have PWHL governing body, you have the double IHF International Ice Hockey Federation, which which is you know, and the Olympic governing body. Those are those are actually two separate things, even though they work very closely. Then you have the nation's governing body, and you mentioned I'm I I'm sorry, I forgot it. All the Scandinavian countries, like all of the European countries, uh, there's a lot of things that have to happen to make this work. And I'm glad to hear, not that I was worried about it, that there's an understanding here, right? Because this is a completely new endeavor, and and there's gonna be a lot to learn from it when everyone's that great. Obviously, there's no lack of talent. Obviously, how do you even separate yourself in a situation like that? Keeping in mind, too, these are probably your friends, right?

SPEAKER_05 7:37

Yeah, absolutely. I think that's definitely can be a hard thing to juggle at times, but typically for me, I just focus on what I bring because what I bring is unique and I just focus on that. Uh, I have I know my role, I play really well in my role, and uh that's what I'm just gonna continue to focus on because when you're at that level, you need all the roles firing it all cylinder. So every role is important, and uh that's what I kind of lean into. And then um, in terms of like I try not to think about other people, uh, I try not to compare myself because I know that I'm different than them and they're different from me, and we have different skill sets. Um, and again, I just focus on what I do best and keep doing that to the best of my ability.

SPEAKER_03 8:21

Now's gonna come the call that every Olympic hopeful waits for. Months of camps, travel, evaluation, and certainty are about to be reduced to one name appearing on Haley's phone. Uh, you have been named Team USA. You are now an Olympian. This was the goal at the start of the season. Uh, we mentioned in previous episodes, while you are favored to be on Team USA three, four months ago, um, you have to earn it. It is not guaranteed. There's nothing that says you're you're going to be on the team, but you have been named to the team. So from Mike and I, from the whole show, from the whole audience, congratulations on being named an Olympian to the USA hockey team again.

SPEAKER_05 8:59

Oh, thank you so much. Yeah, it was um just incredibly exciting and just such an honor, honestly. And um I think I kept my calm pretty cool, calm collected and everything. But the day we heard we were gonna get the calls, uh, it was a little stressful. Uh, so just kind of staring at my phone, waiting for the time to go by a little faster. And uh when I got the call from guest of the show, Katie Million, and you know, she was doing chit-chat, and I'm like, okay, hopefully this is good news then after we chit-chat here. And um, yeah, I just like I cried after it was just incredible. It was just such like a relief and excitement and just all of the things.

SPEAKER_03 9:42

She's made it. The relief is real, the emotion is real, but in this new era of women's hockey, making the Olympic team does not mean stepping away from the professional game. Haley represents the United States of America now while also playing professionally for the Montreal Victois. One hockey world is building towards Italy while the other one is fighting for position in the PWHL. She's got to carry both. She is playing with teammates she's going to play against. She's playing against players that are about to be her teammates. How is she going to do this?

SPEAKER_00 10:16

You know, what what goes through your mind right away when that when that call happens and you have to start like looking at your calendar saying, okay, how am I going to make this work?

SPEAKER_05 10:24

I think the biggest thing was honestly to just enjoy that moment. Uh, that was my second time having that news about making the Olympic team. And so I really just soaked it in that day. I called my family, I shared it with like close friends and uh just kind of allowed myself to be just happy in that moment and not really think too far ahead yet. Um, but then it is funny because then the next day it was like kind of back to business with the PWHL. Um, and we talked a little bit about that on the call with Haley Wynn, where it's like, yes, like I'm an Olympian and or going to the Olympics soon. And um, but you didn't really celebrate that with your teammates for Team USA. You kind of just went back to business. And so that was kind of the difference between the two for myself. And um that was definitely interesting. Um, but honestly, it kind of helps you stay grounded and kind of stay in the moment because like I can't really think too far ahead. It's like we had a game last night, right? Have game a game coming up on Sunday. Like you don't really have a choice but to stay in the moment and just to keep playing your game because that will ultimately prepare you for the ultimate goal uh in the Olympics.

SPEAKER_03 11:37

Olympic break is coming up, um, you know, and then it's like right to the Olympics and then right to playoffs. Um like I said, we're we're about a third of the way in, right? What are your broad kind of overview thoughts right now of the entire season so far with this being an Olympic break? You know what I mean by that?

SPEAKER_05 11:57

Like how I feel personally, yeah, yeah. Um, I mean, I'm really proud of myself. I feel like I've been playing really consistently and um doing what I can to make sure my body feels good. And this is probably the best I have felt physically and mentally uh in the peat up season so far. Um, so just kind of riding that wave and continuing to uh do whatever I can to make sure I put myself in the best spot for the Olympics.

SPEAKER_03 12:24

I love that. And and let me ask you this too. We had Haley win on recently, uh, and she referred to you as a veteran, which made me think about this of mentorship and leadership, right? Um, you know, I don't know if that's something you had heard before that. I I honestly don't know, but is that aspect of leadership or mentorship starting to take grip, right? Again, second time Olympian, third season in the PWHL. You've got a lot of these uh, you know, I'm gonna say like hotshot college kids coming into the league now. And they they said you're a veteran. Like what how is that experience uh panning out, or or or how do you take that on?

SPEAKER_05 13:02

It's so funny. Yeah, I forget. I'm like the old one on the team now. You know, all these girls are in their 20s and they're like, you're 31, no way. Like that's crazy.

SPEAKER_03 13:12

That's not old people. Just want to say that anyway. Go ahead.

SPEAKER_01 13:14

Yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_05 13:16

Um, so yeah. Um, but I do I do take that role very seriously, and I I'm just always there to just help anyone whenever they're maybe struggling, or like lift them up when they aren't doing well. Um, and just always just I don't know, I just always try to think of others and just make sure they're feeling comfortable so that they're able to play at their best. And it's something that I've taken a lot of pride in. Um, and then something I take very seriously with USA hockey and in the pro league now.

SPEAKER_03 13:46

So I'm really proud to say that again, the next time we have this conversation, it will be post your separate second Olympics as we kind of head into the PWHL second half, right? Like or last third of it, right? It's amazing time. I'm just gonna wish you the best and may your feet be swift, your teammates be healthy, and may the food be delicious. I love it. Yes, okay. Thank you. All right, as we leave this conversation, Haley is headed to her second Olympic Games, and the next chapter is still very unwritten. Then in Italy, she accomplishes one of the greatest goals of her life. Team USA wins the Olympic gold medal. And when we catch up again, everything has changed, but almost nothing has slowed down.

SPEAKER_02 14:36

Anything happened uh exciting while you were gone? Anything major?

SPEAKER_04 14:40

No, no, uh nothing, nothing too crazy.

SPEAKER_03 14:44

Now, if you're listening to the show, I'm looking at a gold medal. I'm looking at a USA Hotel gold medal.

SPEAKER_04 14:50

What does it feel like to be a gold medalist? Tell us, please. Does it ever say good? You gotta still close from all of it.

SPEAKER_05 15:00

Yeah, I'm still yeah, it's still processing, but like honestly, the more we've been back and like celebrating with people and like seeing all the support and love online, it's kind of like cemented more and more as time has passed. Uh, you know, I was joking with the girls when we were on the ice. I'm like, I need to see the metal, like it's not real yet. Like, put the metal on me, let me see this thing. Uh so yeah, I think it's just like been a gradual process. It keeps kind of getting more and more cemented in my brain, but it's pretty incredible.

SPEAKER_04 15:26

So, going into these games, what were the words that you put out to the universe to help manifest? I'm gonna say you manifested that gold medal that you're wearing.

SPEAKER_02 15:39

Okay, let's see it. You have to describe that for it. So for those of you listening, I don't know.

SPEAKER_05 15:43

This is yeah, this is my whiteboard. Uh it says, I am a gold medalist. Nick actually wrote it, and then I would write over it every morning. Um, and it's like in our apartment. So it's like I see it every morning, and then there was also coffee is ready. Like he'll write other little notes on it. Um, but yeah, so I wrote that everywhere, like uh in journals on the whiteboard. Uh we have another whiteboard uh somewhere else. Like it's uh yeah, it was something that I kind of would always say to myself in my head uh as well anytime I was maybe feeling uh any other type of way. Like very into very into manifesting for sure. So it was funny that you mentioned that. But I think it did actually help me in terms of keeping a positive mindset the whole tournament. I think that's why we also stayed so positive throughout that whole game when we're down one-nothing. I think um obviously parts of the meag knew that we were gonna win that game some way, somehow. Um and yeah, I mean, the whole tournament just kind of felt like that. So I just feel like it was a big manifestation for sure.

SPEAKER_02 16:46

You've been talking about this your whole life since you were a little girl. What does this represent for you right now in this moment?

SPEAKER_05 16:56

Um it just represents like my like life, like everything I've done to get to this point, like um playing hockey on my backyard rink with my brothers and my dad, and um you know how much time I dedicated to hockey. I missed so many things growing up, like uh in high school and middle school, like social events, like I remember feeling maybe like lonely at times or not, you know, connected with people. And then obviously, as you get up the ranks, you kind of rebuild more of those friendships and things like that. And um it was all definitely worth it for this gold medal. Absolutely. I would do it all over again, and um, yeah, I just think of all the things my parents have done for me, all the things my brothers have done for me, my teammates, uh everything that has led to this moment. And uh yeah, all worth it.

SPEAKER_03 17:51

Haley is now a gold medalist. Hundreds of messages are pouring in, interview requests are stacking up, and even national television is calling. But there is no long victory lap. There's just laundry, there's jet lag, there's practice, there's another road trip because there's still the PWHL standings, points, and season on the line. All right, last time we had this conversation, fresh off the gold medal victory. We went through the Olympics. Uh, for those of you listening, make sure you go back and listen to that one if you haven't. Um, really, all of the hosts on the show just gushed over you the entire time. It was awesome. We all felt pretty good. I remember after that episode, Haley, uh, Christy Cassiano, one of our co-hosts, called me and she goes, that was so fun. That was so great. Like we were we talked to a real gold medalist. And to which Christy, I said, Christy, you've been the news lady for like 25 years. You can just very happy. So today we're gonna be um talking about kind of the post-Olympic thing. It's been what, two, three weeks now? So it's been about three weeks since since you won. Um, so we'll do this kind of chronologically, right?

SPEAKER_01 18:56

Yeah.

SPEAKER_03 18:57

So uh you come back from the Olympics, you're there for a few more days, you get the closing ceremonies, you're back in the United States. Uh, the first thing you're met with, you were in the middle of this when we were recording, is three PWHL games in a row. Uh and not just any games. You win these three games, you go to the top of the standings, like real playoff implications in these games, big games against big teams. Walk us through how you go from the greatest moment of your life to I've got to get back into game mode right now, playing with my opponents, against my teammates, so forth and so on.

SPEAKER_05 19:33

It was insane. We literally had one day off when we got back from our crazy travel day, and then I had to leave two days later for New York. So I had to unpack, repack, do laundry, all that fun stuff. Uh, a little bit of a hit back to reality for sure. Um, but then on top of that, it's like, especially after winning the gold medal, so many people are reaching out, wanting to talk, wanting to interview, wanting to podcast, like all these different things. I'm trying to field that while also dealing with my schedule. Uh, so it was a lot. Um, we had like one practice and literally left the next day. And that first game, I was like, it was the weirdest out-of-body experience because I wasn't really fully rested, hadn't really recovered from jet lag. Like you can kind of tell it was everyone's first game in a while, or you had just come back from the Olympics. Like it was it was a wild game, but I was very proud of our team. We did great. But if I'm not mistaken, yeah, in New York.

SPEAKER_03 20:29

Yeah, they had beaten it two times in a row prior to that, too. So this is a the game you want.

SPEAKER_05 20:33

Yeah, yeah. And uh, you know, we played great. We found a way to kind of battle through like the uh first game rust, if you will.

SPEAKER_01 20:41

Yeah.

SPEAKER_05 20:42

Um, but then right before that, I actually had a request to do the Kelly Clarkson show because it's filmed in New York, and I was like, of course. So I had to pack for that. I stayed a little bit longer, like the next day after our game, to do that with our PR guy. And that was the most incredible experience ever.

SPEAKER_03 21:00

Well, we're gonna get into that. So let's like and and like jumped ahead a little bit. No, no, no, it's good, it's good. I I wanna I want to preface this to give people an idea how busy you were. So, first off, let me ask this question. Yeah, like when you when I don't know if you had your US phone over in Italy, like like I mean, after the game, let's just go this. After the game, I didn't ask this. How many missed text, like how many texts or calls did you have on your phone?

SPEAKER_05 21:23

Hundreds, like hundreds of messages on either text message or Instagram or Facebook, like so many. And as I kind of talked about in the previous episode, I'm like a toxic replier back. Like I literally sat on the bus and wrote thank you to so many people because I really hate having my notifications up on my phone. So I tried to respond to as many people as I could that night. So I didn't have anything lingering the next day. But then again, like it was coming through all the time. Like I was getting messages. Even today, I'm still getting messages like, Hey, I didn't want to be barred you at the time, but congrats, you know. So it's uh it's pretty crazy, it's really incredible.

SPEAKER_03 21:59

Just to let the audience know how crazy things were, and we we love this. We we we um we had a recording set for our show, and uh you always reached out, like, hey, are you good for this? And I remember we could say this now, you go, oh no, I have to go on Kelly Clarkson. And we we ribbed you so hard, we were like, So you're choosing uh a national broadcast over our podcast today, and which we obviously we were happy about.

SPEAKER_05 22:22

That was so funny. I will not forget that. Thank goodness you texted me. I would have felt terrible if you guys were just waiting there. But like everything happened so fast. Like, I found out the day before we left for New York that they were like requesting me because I was the only US player who was gonna be in New York at that time. Yeah, and so it just was like kiss it, right? So I was like, I have to do this, obviously. I literally the day I got back, I actually just forgot about this until now. I got back on like the 24th of February, and I had all these requests coming from our PR guy in Montreal, and I go, just book it all today. I go, well, I'll just I'll just crank through it, like why not?

SPEAKER_02 22:56

Yeah.

SPEAKER_05 22:57

And I little did I know there was gonna be more later on in life, but like I thought that was gonna be it. So I was like, just let's crank it out. So I literally had three or four interviews that day. Wow, that I did.

SPEAKER_03 23:08

So that like that's what Hollywood movie stars do when they're promoting a movie. So now you know you know what?

SPEAKER_05 23:12

Kudos to them because it takes a lot of like energy and like it's it's even if it's only a 10 minute interview, it's like it's It's still energy, it's still time in your day, it's still you know something you're preparing for, you know, mentally and whatnot. So um important to kind of manage the energy during this time for sure.

SPEAKER_03 23:30

Yeah, no, it and it can be exhausting. Uh it's always funny. Sometimes you get really good bloopers from celebrities when they're in like the tenth interview of the day. Uh, but but good on you, Haley, for for like doing it. And by the way, you did it so eloquently. Like, thank you. When you do interviews, including the show, like you give everything you got. It's so obvious, you know what I mean? So, so thank you for that. Okay, let's get to the big um let's get to the big show. So you get invited on Kelly Clarkson. Kelly Clarkson's not cool enough. Pink, pink is hosting the episode, is is awesome. Um tell us everything. I'm not gonna ask you, just tell us everything from when you got there to have your makeup to going on stage to like like do you see Pink before the show? Is Pink just sitting there? Then she asked you questions. Tell us everything.

SPEAKER_05 24:14

So, like, I know this is my first talk show ever. Like, didn't know what to expect. You know, I get a call, um, like the day before they want me to send pictures in. I do a pre-interview for the interview where they ask questions to kind of see what topics they might want to hit. Um, so that was like a crazy experience. And then getting there, we got there like probably two hours before I was gonna go on air. Um, they did hair and makeup, they did um, I had a little dressing room with a fridge stocked with drinks, like with some snacks too. Like, I didn't really have time for that, but actually, I did have a ginger ale with a straw. That was fun. Yeah, I had to get something. I have a picture of you doing hair and makeup, having my little ginger ale. But uh that was really fun. And then I didn't get to meet Pink beforehand. Wow.

SPEAKER_03 25:01

So, like when you walk out there, it's the first time you're meeting. Uh-huh.

SPEAKER_05 25:04

So I literally was like, I go, Do I hug her? Like, what in a and then I also found out there was another host, Carrie Kenny Silver, I believe. Yeah, and she was on Reno 911, she was on the show four seasons, like so funny. And she's also, yeah. So I go, What I go, where do I sit? Do I hug them? Like, I don't want to like, you know, what if they're not huggers? Like, I I like, or is it like a handshake like fight you right there? Yeah, she might do that.

SPEAKER_03 25:28

She's written songs about it. No, go ahead.

SPEAKER_05 25:31

Like, like what's gonna happen, right? And then uh it was really sweet because like the the manager for pink kept saying, like, she's so excited to see you, like she's really excited for this, like yada yada yada. So I was like, okay, like cool. And so I get out there and like I, you know, you're waiting for the doors to open, you're waiting behind the thing, and then it's like all the people are there, it's a live audience, like 200 people like cheering for you, excited. I'm just waving, you know. And then Pink is like bowing down to me, like so is Carrie. And I'm like, what is happening right now? Like, this is crazy. And then they both gave me like big hugs, like super sweet. And um, I kind of was just like disassociated from like how cool the moment was. I was just like, okay, there's just two people interviewing me. Like, don't don't overthink this.

SPEAKER_03 26:15

Well, remember, you're actually the celebrity in that moment, to be fair.

SPEAKER_05 26:18

Which is still so crazy to me. Like, like what? So um, they were great, it went really well. Um, what's cool is that it's like recorded, so at least it wasn't live. Like that helped a lot because at one point actually Carrie's um prompter wasn't reading, and she goes, Oh, my question's not there. You know what I mean? So like things happened on the thing, so like that kind of helped mentally as well.

SPEAKER_03 26:40

Um, you're saying this podcast has prepared you for live recordings.

SPEAKER_05 26:45

Yes, exactly. Um, so yeah, it was just amazing and they were so nice. And then after the interview, uh, when the cameras were off or whatever, like they wanted to chat for a bit. So we were sitting there chatting, and that's cool. Um, they were just so kind. Like Pink was saying her son's recently into hockey, so she's a hockey mom now. And uh, she's like, I really want to go to a pro women's game. I was like, we gotta get you to a pro women's game for sure. So I am working on it. I want her to come to a game so bad. Carrie said she was down too, so like let's get them to a game. Like, why not? So uh they were just so nice. Like, you know, when you meet a celebrity, you want them to be really nice, right? You don't want to set too high of expectations, but they were absolutely incredible. So it was such a great experience. And then we went right to the airport, right back to Montreal.

SPEAKER_03 27:32

The spotlight now shifts back to Montreal. After one difficult game following the Olympic break, the team finds its rhythm and begins playing some of its best hockey. And by late April, Montreal climbs all the way to first place in the PWHL. Gold is behind Haley, just barely, but the Walter Cup chase is directly in front of her. We're on the dawn of the PWHL playoffs. The four teams have been selected. Uh, we're gonna talk all about how that selection process goes, how Montreal, the Vicquis finished, obviously the team that Haley plays for, um, and how this postseason is gonna go. I'm actually really excited for this one, Haley, because uh we've talked about so much stuff this year about the preseason leading up to the Olympics, the Olympics, winning the gold medal in the Olympics, getting back to the regular season, now the conclusion of the regular season. Uh, it's a pretty cool time to be alive. So let's start there. All right. First off, big congratulations. Montreal clinched first place uh over the 30-game season. A lot of hard work goes into earning that position. Uh, you know, from inside the room, let's just start there. What is what does finishing top of the table actually represent?

SPEAKER_05 28:42

I I think it's so hard to finish at the top, especially in our league with the way like the standings jumped all the time. It was like it moved constantly.

SPEAKER_01 28:50

Right.

SPEAKER_05 28:50

Uh, so it was never like a for sure thing, but I think, you know, within the room, we always just felt really confident what we had. And truly, we didn't really care where we finished. Like we knew we had home ice advantage for the first round. Like we just wanted to continue to get better with each game. Like, I wouldn't say it was like a focus in our locker room at all. Uh, but obviously, you know, we knew we just needed any sort of win against Seattle to get first place. And so we were definitely excited. I think it showed like all the hard work and dedication we've had this season and our consistency throughout the season. Uh, I think, especially with like a shorter season uh in order to get first place, you have to be winning a majority of the time the whole season. Like you don't really have like a ramp up period, right? Like in the NHL, they kind of have a little grace period, like first 10 games. Like for us, that's the third of the season. That's a great point. So we really have to be like on it like all season. And so I just think it's a testament to that. And it's definitely something we celebrated. But now we're like, all right, next step, round one.

SPEAKER_00 29:46

It it's actually probably almost it's pretty pretty hard. It's almost like you're running, you're you're in a long playoff run. Basically, the way you have to think about every game really does mean something.

SPEAKER_05 29:56

Truly. And I think you know, it by the time we clinched, like the games leading up to us clinching, it felt like playoff hockey. It's like every game mattered, and it did for the whole league. And then honestly, like we didn't even know the fourth spot until the very last day of the regular season. So, like those teams were fighting to the very end, and they had to get a win on that last day. So everyone's been in playoff hockey mode, honestly, for a while now. And you're right, like it kind of uh increases the intensity of each game, and you can't really take any games off or any stretches off.

SPEAKER_00 30:25

In in the PWHL, the the first place team gets to pick your opponent. I mean, I mean, talk about laying the gauntlet out. I mean, it's such a it's such an in-your-face, like, and I know I just like to hear, you know, from a player perspective and the process and the like the whole piece of that, because to me it seems like, oh, uh, you know, I'm gonna call you out. Uh, we want to, we want you, we want to play you, but that's really not like the strategy behind it, right? I mean, what is the thought process that goes into having the opportunity instead of just saying, hey, just throw some names in the hat and let us know who we're playing.

SPEAKER_05 31:01

So this is the first time I've personally been in this position. Um, so it's definitely very interesting. You only get 24 hours to decide, like after we clinched. Like it was fast. And honestly, we traveled that whole day. So like the next day. And so we're at the airport, we're like, all right, who we playing? What's going on? And so, you know, they uh the staff like surveyed the girls. Like we had to answer like that next morning, like, you know, what our thoughts were, why those were our thoughts. Um, I'm not gonna go into what I had said, but uh ultimately it's obviously the coaches and the staff's decision. I think, you know, they went with Minnesota. I think both teams are great teams and they have their own strengths. And obviously, head to head, we've done really well against Minnesota this year. So I think that was probably a big factor. And uh to be honest, I always really said, like, I don't care who we play, we're we're winning. Like, we're gonna do this. Like we have the team to do it, and I think we need to have that mindset going into it. Uh, however, you are also giving that team some fuel.

SPEAKER_01 32:01

Yeah.

SPEAKER_05 32:02

So I think um, I think that's what we've seen in the past two seasons is that the lower seeds have made it to the finals every season. And so I think that's an interesting factor for sure. We're looking to obviously change that this season, but you definitely do whoever you choose, regardless which team you end up picking, you are giving them fuel.

SPEAKER_03 32:24

Finishing first gives Montreal the right to choose its semifinal opponents, something unique to the PWHL. And the team chooses the Minnesota Frost. Just to very quickly recap the season, Victoire had a pretty, you know, hot and cold start. You were winning some games, you were losing some games. Um, as we went into the Olympic break, towards the top half of the league, but not quite near the top of the league. And then after the Olympic break and the gold medal for you, uh the team went on an absolute tear, went all the way to the top of the league, clinched first place, got to choose their first playoff opponent, which was the Minnesota frost. Um, and that is literally where we left off was that. So let's dive into the playoffs, right? Because now you have all the momentum. First place team, you go in and you lose the first game five to four to the frost. Uh, tell me about that process and uh how that first game kind of went.

SPEAKER_05 33:17

Oh man, that first game was crazy. I mean, the amount of goals that were just being scored was we were like, okay, this is a weird game. Like this is something is crazy going on right now. Um, and I think I was super proud of our team that game because we just kept coming back. Like we just kept um we kept fighting. We were like, and then the ability of us to score multiple goals in the comeback and then to continue doing that um just showed the resiliency of our team that we've always had. But to do that in the first playoff game was massive. Um we knew it wasn't our best game, kind of like top bottom, like just we were a little bit off, maybe a little nervous, maybe a little excited. Um, and you know, obviously it was frustrating to lose that first game because of course everyone's talking and like, oh, you picked them, and right are you regretting your choice now? And it's like it's it's a series, you know, and so I think with the series, it's so uh important to be able to like flush those games as quickly as possible. Like you can't, you don't have time to ruminate on them because it's like you gotta focus on the next one and and you can't you can't be thinking about them for that long. And so I think we did a really good job of that um going into the second one. But um, yeah, I just think it was a huge character game for us. I don't know, the mindset changed. Honestly, maybe even having the loss was almost good to just get it out of the way, like experience that loss, um, but know that we could be better. Like we all knew we could be better uh in that game. And so I think it was kind of easy to flush it in the sense and be like, okay, that was like the worst of it. Now we we're not playing scared to lose anymore. Like we're just going all out, um, giving it everything we have, and and we know we can be better. Um, and I think that was shown in that game. Like we, it was top to bottom, I think, one of our best games of the season. Like, in order to be the best, you have to beat the best. And so I think that was a cool little phrase. Uh, and like we knew how good Minnesota was, and we knew how good Ottawa was. Like, it both teams have their like their different strengths, and they're they're both great teams. But like Minnesota definitely we knew they've won back-to-back championships, like they're gonna be a good playoff team to play. And I think that helped prepare us for the second series, like immensely.

SPEAKER_03 35:33

So Montreal will survive that series and earn its place in the Walter Cup final. And waiting there is the Ottawa Charge and a championship series that begins with the kind of game people remember forever. Game one alone could be its own movie. That advances you now to the second half of this episode, to the PWHL Walter Cup final against Ottawa, who is returning to the final for the second year of the realm, right, after having been defeated by Minnesota the year before. Um, and we're gonna spend some time on game one because this has to be one of the most dramatic games I have ever watched, um, from top to bottom. Uh you know, so I again we're gonna kind of skip to the end of the game a little bit. I think you have to, yeah. Right. All right, but yeah, the the quick recap is it's two to one. Very late in the third. All right. And uh it looks like this is this is over, right? We're in the last minute of the game. Um, Ottawa's playing great. You guys have the good, you know, you're doing what you can, but yeah, it's it's tight. Time's winding down. And then Lara Stacy gets well, not crushed, but something happens and she's on the ice. And again, on the broadcast, Haley, I mean, she's in pain, she is writhing in pain. Yes. Um, yeah. I don't know if we can discuss what happened. I'm not necessarily asking, but yeah, uh, she's she's hurting, all right. Yes, uh, to the point that they're not showing her on the broadcast, they're kind of zoomed out. Um right, so we get to that moment. I'm gonna I don't want to reveal the ending yet, but let's get to this. There's there's very little time left. I think it's like less than a minute now, all right. And one of your top players is extreme pain, uh uh married to another player on your team, which is a unique thing, right? There's there's that aspect on it, and she goes off the ice. Where are you at mentally as a team at that point?

SPEAKER_05 37:29

I think everyone was fired up. I think we were all just ready to do anything it took to find a way to score, but we weren't panicking or anything, like there was no panic. Like, obviously, there was concern for Stacey wanting her to be okay, but we're like, we have to do this for her, like we have to find a way to tie this game up. And you could just tell Pooh was on a mission, she was ready to do what needed to be done, right? And uh, she kind of led the offense in that sense uh to get down because we there was only 20 seconds left, maybe.

SPEAKER_03 37:59

Nothing. I mean, it's like the game's over. That that's how it works at this point.

SPEAKER_05 38:02

Yeah, and so she kind of led the charge into the zone, and then she went and got the puck herself to get it out in front of the net, and then uh Nicole Gossick followed it up, and we didn't know if like we didn't know if the horn had gone for the period to end, or if it was the horn for the goal. So we're all like looking around making sure. Uh it was unbelievable.

SPEAKER_03 38:22

Well, everybody everyone watching knew it was the goal. Yeah, and and and I'm just gonna say this time of the goal, 1957 in the third period. Yeah, all right. And and just to echo you, um, you know, there was this long break from her being injured, like it wasn't a quick thing, it was it was several minutes, like seven or eight minutes before the gameplay started. But you could see it when you lined up, the team lined up, there was a determination of we've got the time we've got, we're gonna have to do something. And boy, did you do something. We we shouldn't uh not talk about DBN because there's there's shots here that were turned away as well at this point. So Gosling scores, Poulan sets it up. Uh, they have uh they have uh Maureen Murphy here with an assist on that too. Yes. Um and like now you know you're going overtime. What a shift! I mean, my goodness. It goes from a sure thing they're gonna lose game one to now they're forced in overtime. I can't even imagine what Otto was feeling because it's like like it's not exactly that there were missed coverages on this goal, it was just who did what poo did. All right, and she put the puck in front of the net. Yep. Um, again, broadcast, you didn't get to watch it. One of the things I remember from the broadcast is you talked about how how cool Pooh is under pressure, uh kept going to your trainer to back and forth to the bench, obviously asking about Lara. Yeah, yeah. Um, I would say she looked she looked as ice cold as she always does, yeah, but you could feel the concern, right? And it's like I'd say dramatic because they're married. I mean, you're there's just like building up here. Yeah, it's just not something you see every day, right? It's like you're the captain of the team, captain of Team Canada, your wife has been hurt, yeah, like you're going over time, your emotions are in the washer and dryer going all over the place, and all of a sudden it's like, look, we gotta go out there and play. Yeah, all right. And why don't you take us through the two minutes and 29 seconds that ensued after that? If you can remember.

SPEAKER_05 40:22

I honestly like can't really remember.

SPEAKER_03 40:25

Let me if I may, Haley. Sorry, I'll set you up a little bit, all right? Please, yeah. We get to the overtime, yeah. Uh we're sure Stacey's done. Not and not not just for the game. Like, this is like I know she's done for the series, she's hurt, yeah. Right? Then you see her warming up at the start of overtime, and everyone, I'm gonna say it, gang, cover your kids' ears. Everyone went, holy shit, and we're even wondering like, is this for show? Like, like, is this just to for show to pump the team up? Uh it wasn't for show because rock's on the ice, yeah. Uh Stacy passes the puck, yeah, throws it in front of the net, rock puts it in, and you win the game. Like miraculous. I mean, I can you even begin to tell us what that was like.

SPEAKER_05 41:11

I mean, just seeing her on the ice, because like so when she was taken down the tunnel, she's on the opposite side of the rink. So none of us could see her or knew what was going on. So poor, you know, we're trying to find out and didn't have any information based on what we had seen, did not think she was showing up in that game. And uh, so then we get on the ice and we see her freaking ripping laps, being her normal self. I was like, oh, thank goodness. Like our med staff is incredible, they did some magic there. Um, and she was able to go, and you could just tell, like, our whole team, it felt like we knew we were winning the game. We're like, you score with two seconds left, we're winning this game.

SPEAKER_03 41:48

Let's get to uh let's get to game three, the final. All right. Uh, it's an elimination game. You said it. Walter's in the house. I want everybody to understand. We've been talking about how razor thin these games are. Check out these stats. No goals in the first and second period. Shots, Montreal 28, Ottawa 28. Power play, 0 for 3, 0 for 3. This is razor thin. Okay. First goal, which we're gonna talk about for a little bit, came at uh 732 of the third period. It says here that a Haley Skomora scored that goal, uh, assisted by Maureen Murphy. Haley, it it was a great goal. It was a it was an absolute skomora type goal. Why don't you walk us through it um and and uh the decision making on it? Because yeah, we talked in an episode about your placement and timing, and this was the the personification of that.

SPEAKER_05 42:36

Yeah, um, we had just been on the power play, and so it was like finishing up, and I remember there was a puck in the neutral zone, and I decided to like carry it in and try to keep possession instead of just dumping it in. I felt like I had enough energy to keep going. Uh, so I enter in the middle of the zone, I cross the blue line, I kick it out to Murph uh on the wing, and then I drive the net and I kind of hit the defender a little bit to kind of like interfere slightly. And uh because I knew Murph would have time to kind of come in and get a shot off, maybe. And she did. I think it just missed the net. It honestly might have hit me. I don't even know, but I was able to kind of track it and it hit the boards and came out perfectly right to me. And I was like, boop, hit it right in. I I was just in shock, so excited. Um, I actually got hit back during my celebration by my USA teammate, actually. So that was kind of funny to watch back because I didn't know how I ended up on the ground during the celebration. Like I had no recollection of being hit. And I watch it back. I was like, what the heck?

unknown 43:40

Like I got.

SPEAKER_05 43:42

We were just so excited. Oh my gosh. Like, I will never forget that. Like, beyond excited.

SPEAKER_03 43:50

Montreal takes the first two games in overtime. Haley even opens the scoring in game three, but Ottawa rallies to keep its season alive. Montreal still leads the series two games to one and now has another chance to finish the job. This final game is not easy, clean, or simply a coronation. It is a championship game built on details, block shots, penalty kills, face-offs, and trust. And in the moments that matter the most, Haley's role comes full circle. Now we head into to game four. I want to remind everybody, it's a five-game series. So, you know, Ottawa winning game three makes this a lot tighter than if it was a three-nothing lead in the NHL, right? I just give them the comparison. They win this game. You're going game five. Yeah. All right. It's dangerous. It's a dangerous situation because they'll have all the momentum. You'll have the homeless advantage. But now this game is really important. All right, they're all important. Um stats before we get into the final. Montreal is outshot in this game, 23 to 16.

SPEAKER_05 44:56

In the final game?

SPEAKER_03 44:59

I bet you didn't know that. Alright. Uh third period, Montreal had four shots on net. Alright? Uh Montreal. Huh? Well, we're gonna be around. Well, I'm building this up, all right. Power play opportunities. Montreal had zero power plays. Ottawa had Three power plays in this game. Haley, you saw a few of those. Final score in the game. Montreal wins the Walzer Cup Championship. Four to nothing. A dominant score. All right. Three of the four goals coming in the third period on four shots. Talk about razor thin. You particularly in this game. Every time I looked up, you're on the ice. Big moments. Penalty kills, big face-offs. End of the game. I mean, you were really activated in this game, and it was obvious. All right. Um, two shots on net, not your best face-off night, but but defensively, you were everywhere, right? Uh we can talk about that too. About after face-offs, defensively, you were not a liability.

SPEAKER_01 46:01

Yeah.

SPEAKER_03 46:01

All right. Before we get into the elation of the win, talk to me about the game itself and how that game went.

SPEAKER_05 46:09

I mean, it's funny that you mentioned that with the shots because it didn't really feel that way, honestly. Like, I didn't really feel that it was that drastic of a shot difference. Like, I felt like we still had control of the game. I felt like we didn't let up too many chances, but when we did, like, like you said, Anne was just solid. Like she had been all playoff series, but like in Achim in particular, she was even like an extra level. I felt like just locked in. Um, and you know, with our team, I just think we did so much better when we did get that first goal. Like we kept playing aggressive, we kept, you know, pushing the pace and um found ways to just capitalize on less chances. We were more efficient, if you will. You know, we followed the Montreal Canadians path, I guess.

SPEAKER_00 46:54

Three goals in the third period, uh, you know, in a in a tight, tight, tight matchup is uh that is where that is where momentum is really hard to catch, right? Because you have to some point feel like after goal two, just like you felt after goal one, like, oh, we got that. This is the now what do you feel? What do you feel like after goal two? And feel at the you know, now at four three, now it's three-nothing. Third period.

SPEAKER_03 47:15

Goal two was a jailbreak, right? Yes, it was. Yeah, I think goal.

SPEAKER_05 47:20

Watching Abby go down, like when for that jailbreak goal, as soon as I saw her skating down the ice, I go, she's doing something. Like, I I think the whole bench could just feel it. Like she was ready to just go score. Like she saw that it was a forward-playing D. She's like, I got this. And she just right when she scored that goal, I was like, We've got this game, we're winning. Like, we are winning this game. Yes.

SPEAKER_03 47:41

The clock winds down, it hits zero, and then everyone sees if listens to this show. What they want to see is your teeth team completely embrace each other, celebrate. Um, I mean, there's some amazing photographs of these moments, not to mention the video. Walk us through it, Haley. You're a Walter Cup champion in that last second.

SPEAKER_05 48:02

Uh, just incredible. I mean, having like five-game series like this, it's definitely a different beast. Uh, and so to finally be able to like hoist that trophy at the end had some extra extra meaning, extra excitement, extra just everything. And for everything that we battled through for the playoffs for the season, like for the whole season, we didn't have our full team except for five games. Wow, that's insane. Like we had we truly had everyone on our roster, reserve players included, in our lineup at some point in the season to help us get to this point. And so I think that's something that we all really took notice of and was why we got to this point. And it was an extra reason for celebrating this win with everyone.

SPEAKER_03 48:47

I mean, it's amazing. Uh and and like you said, the adversity that the team faced, but also the path that we talked about at the very start of this episode of how the engine turned on and got bigger and bigger, and you could see it building the second half of the season, yeah. Um, with with the victories that you had and the storming to the top of the league and your path to the playoffs. So we've all watched the Walter Cup or the Stanley Cup be lifted, but none of us have been on the ice for that.

SPEAKER_01 49:13

Yeah.

SPEAKER_03 49:14

Um, I know there's no way you could begin to describe this, all right? But tell me what it's like to watch Canada's greatest athlete do that.

SPEAKER_05 49:29

And surreal, incredible. Um, I mean, again, just with what she was battling and what she faced through and for her to finally be able to lift that up, because that's the reason she came back. She wanted to win a Walter Cup for Montreal, for the team, for herself, for her family. And so to see what she battled through to do that, like we all saw it firsthand. And so to see her do that and like the kind of playoff run that she had, she was incredible. The whole playoffs was uh, you know, our backbone, obviously, our heart. Um, and so you could just see like the elation, the relief, all of it like on her face. And it was um it was special to watch for sure. And we were all just so happy for her and for the team.

SPEAKER_03 50:08

Now we gotta do flip this to you too, Haley. Uh, we talked about this before the playoffs a little bit. Um, not that this is why you were playing, but you you accomplished something pretty unique here as the only woman athlete to ever win a gold medal in a Walter Cup in the same year. Is that like when does that come into your mind? Um, do your teammates know that, right? Because here's the funny thing at the broadcast, they were all about it. They kept talking about it on the broadcast. Um, yeah. Um, you know, I know you well enough to to know that like in that moment you're you're with your team, but yeah, uh that's a I mean, I mean, talk about surreal. I mean, trailblazing at its best, right? So when you are handed the cup, first off, how heavy is it? Is it heavier than it looks? It's heavy.

SPEAKER_05 50:54

I was slightly concerned. I'm like, I hope I have the energy to lift this over my head because that could be embarrassing. But uh yeah, it's heavy, it's heavy, and then you're lifting that when it's in the air.

SPEAKER_03 51:05

I'm sure you're looking for your family, you know. Yeah, you're looking around. I mean, are you reflecting at that moment? Are you trying to take it in? Keeping in mind it's the second time you've done something like this within a few months.

SPEAKER_05 51:16

Yeah, soaking it in for sure. Family got to come on the ice, which was really nice, but that was later, I think after we had all lifted the cup and everything like that. Uh, so I actually couldn't find them. There were so many fans that stayed. Another shout out to Ottawa. Like they stayed for a while to celebrate the cup, um, which was really, you know, it's it's hard, right? But I think they were just excited to see a Canadian team win it as well, and obviously bum for their own team. But we had a lot of people who stayed, and then a lot of Montreal fans were there too. So it was really nice to be able to celebrate it with them. And um yeah, I'm like like again, like this is so it's just so surreal. It was just so amazing. And and like I said, though, it was like a different kind of celebration just because you know it was a whole season that led up to this. It was something we didn't know we could dream of that we now can dream of, and that's cool in and of itself. And a part of history, we're the first team other than Minnesota to win it, uh, the first time for Montreal to win it. So there's just all these history pieces that you kind of realize you're a part of, and it's pretty crazy to think about, honestly.

SPEAKER_03 52:18

What is winning two major championships in literally one year? Like in the same year. Yeah, not feel like I mean what you mentioned it, like what are the emotions involved in that? Have you even had enough time to comprehend that, Haley? Like it's only it's only been really like a week.

SPEAKER_05 52:37

A little bit, you know, we've been celebrating like all week with the Walter Cup and stuff, and it's cute. Like, I I do have teammates who they're like, dude, you won a gold medal and like what? Like that's amazing, you know? And and the Canada girls were really sweet about it too. They just said, you know, heck of a year for you. Like, yeah, you know, we're gonna be able to do that.

SPEAKER_03 52:54

So how did your Canadian counterparts?

SPEAKER_05 52:56

You know, they you can tell it where it comes from, but they're just they were very they just said how proud they were of me and stuff and how excited, you know, as much as they can be excited for me. Uh so I did appreciate that. But then other girls will say it kind of more quietly or like away from them, sort of thing, and be all hype for me, which was nice. Um, but yeah, it's pretty, it's it's just so cra it's so crazy to me. And it's like you almost have this like you feel like unstoppable, honestly, like in this moment a bit. Like confidence is just like skyrocketing. I also felt like it helped me kind of come into my own as a player as well. Like I was already feeling really good, like the whole season, and then stacking these wins on top of each other has really helped kind of make me realize like the value that I hold on teams and and what I do as a player that helps make teams successful. And that's what I really focused on this year. And it's not um not surprising in a way, but like it's it's cool to see that once I embraced that, like I've won a gold medal in a Walter Cup champ. Like it's so it's it's it's nice to see that kind of come to fruition in uh all of the hard work I've had to up until this point, and then the mindset switch that I've had has helped me kind of realize these two lifelong dreams of mine.

SPEAKER_03 54:13

The clock reaches zero, and the Walter Cup belongs to the Montreal Victoire. And for Haley, it completes the double she dreamed about before the season even began: an Olympic gold medal and a Walter Cup championship in the same year. That is the stuff dreams are made of. But the final image of this historic season is bigger than a medaler trophy. The city of Montreal is waiting to celebrate and also to show us just how far women's hockey has come. Today is the last, the final episode of our 2025-2026 Day in the Life series, starring Haley Skimora. I was trying to purposely scare half of you there. Uh a different hat today. I'm wearing my Olympic rings hat today for you, Haley. All right, because that is one of the big accomplishments from the year. But uh gang, when we last left you, I gotta get used to saying that. When we last left you on our last episode of Day in the Life, uh, Haley has won the PWHL championship, she has won the Walter Cup. We kind of went through the 48 hours or so after that, where you were with your teammates, you were with a pool party, and a parade in downtown Montreal was on the horizon. And I think the audience all wants to feel like they were there with you at that parade, Haley. So that's the first question. Tell me everything about the parade when you had to show up, how it went on stage with the cup, your teammates. Uh, and we only have uh uh 40 minutes.

SPEAKER_05 55:40

So it was an incredible day. I think it just it exceeded any of our expectations. And we knew Montreal would show up, but it was like the amount they showed up and with the energy they showed up with was unparalleled. Like I've never experienced something like that in my life. It was incredible. So I'll start at the beginning. We went to, we met at our practice rink, which is in Verdun, which is like a uh a suburb, if you will, outside of the downtown Montreal area, probably like 15 minutes or so away. We met there at like 9 a.m. Uh so you know, girls had mimosas, they were making Caesars, like we were just having fun, like in the locker room, like waiting to get prepped on like what the day would look like. Because, you know, we had security there, like different protocols and things like that. Um so that was super fun. And we had we we come out and we see we have like a double decker bus. And so that was super exciting. We had three female cops who volunteered their time to kind of like lead us out on their motorcycles uh to the parade path, which was gonna be in downtown. So we get there. There's some people at the rink like waving and you know, whatever. So we're like, okay, cool, good start. And you know, we get on the bus and um we get new t-shirts and we start our trip. And there's like a mass of people right outside this one church, like right down the road from where we started. And they're so excited, they have signs. Like, and I'm like, wow, it's a pretty good showing. All right, all right, we're off to a good start. And like that everyone's like honking their horns on the way, like whoever's passing us, and we're all just cheering, so pumped. And um it was just amazing. And so it probably takes about 15, 20 minutes to finally get to like where we're supposed to be, where everyone knows we're gonna be. And it's called St. Catherine Street, where we start. And for those that don't know, it's like this um, it's a really great street where like it's all this outdoor shopping kind of on the street, lots of clothes and things like that. It's a really fun street to walk down. And so we turn on that street, and all we see are people like lining both sides of the street. That's awesome. So excited, screaming. So we're like hanging off the sides, like pointing at them, yelling, like people are tossing beers over. Like it was just wild. And so we're so focused on like looking forward, right? We're looking on both sides, seeing all the people. And then the coolest part, we're about like halfway down the street to like where we end up going to like get to like the stage, right? The stage area. And we have some staff who are in the back of the bus, and they're like, guys, you have to come look behind the bus. And I'm like, why would we look behind the bus, right? So we all get to the back of the bus, and all we see are a sea of people chasing the bus to the point where you can't even see the street. Like, you don't see where the street begins. It's just people following us to get to this parade moment. And I think for me and for most girls that I've talked to, that was kind of like the moment where it hit. Like I had tears in my eyes at that point. Like I I was just so blown away by how many people were there to support us and following us to just celebrate the cup. Like it just felt like what you would see for like a Super Bowl parade or like a Stanley Cup parade. It just it really felt like the moment for women's sports. It was, yeah. Like it's it's just so it was just so surreal. So that was a big moment. And then again, just so many people on either sides of the bus. And um, and then we finally get to like uh the staging area, and that's where all the people are filled, and like there's like a little bit of like a field area for everyone to like stand to like watch the stage, and they're just it's packed, it's packed, and there's a red carpet for us to walk down. So we're waiting on the bus and we're waiting to go because you know, security has to get in place and things like this. And so we take, we finally get off the bus to go down the red carpet, and Pooh's holding the cup, and we're walking down and we're high-fiving everyone and like just putting on the show, coming down the red carpet to finally get to the backstage. Um, and so that was just incredible. Uh, we were told we weren't allowed to sign anything during that because it would have obviously taken forever. So we had to just get right to the stage. And then from there, they like announce us one by one going on to the stage. So, you know, everyone's doing different things and I didn't know what to do. I just like was fist pumping and stuff. But some girls, you know, went down on a knee, chugged a beer, you know, like just it was so much fun. And all the fans were just cheering and um it was it was just amazing. And then our coaches had a speech to like, you know, talk about how amazing the coaches were, give them some credit have them lift the cup in front of the fans, and um and then we're we're singing on stage, we're dancing on stage. Like it was just like a concert, basically, and everyone's just loving it. And then, of course, Amanda Boulier has the tuba. Um, and she's she's playing that thing with all her heart. Uh, for those that don't know the story behind it, she lost a bet with Laura Stacy. Uh, they would try to guess who was gonna be on the camera uh for every game, like before the game starts. And they had like a running thing, like whoever won at the end of the regular season. And so Amanda lost. And so originally she was gonna have to play it at the top of Montreal and like have like a little cup, you know, for people to like give her tips and stuff. But to be honest, this was so much better. She was on the stage at the parade and she played that thing the whole time. Like she was dedicated, she did not stop. Um, so that was a really funny piece to everything. And then um we were probably on stage, I want to say an hour, maybe. And then after that, they were like, okay, you guys can kind of go down and start signing stuff and and whatnot. So I kind of went, I started backstage, and like there was just a sea of people wanting things signed. Then they're throwing things at you from behind because like, because it's like layered, right? Like there's so many people. And uh I signed as much as I could, and then we uh had like a place we went to go get lunch at afterwards and got to just celebrate together. But it was one of the best days ever, honestly. And we just appreciate how much they showed up for us and how much energy they brought. And again, like I said, it felt like out of a movie, it really did. And um, I know it made us all really emotional at times to kind of see because it just really felt like the the big moment. Wow, women's hockey. We have arrived. This is what a moment in history, right? That that's exactly how it felt. It just all kind of hit at once, and then it was also like just how far we've come in general, um, and how much more there is to grow. And yeah, it just it really did feel like the big moment for women's sports.

SPEAKER_03 1:02:22

I want to end this episode on this, Haley. You know, when we started having you on the show, trophy case uh was a little different, all right? And I want to say this uh over the past year, literally this year, uh, you have added a gold medal, a PWHL Walter Cup championship, and I want to congratulate you because there's one more added to the list in the Bob Johnson Award from USA Hockey, which they have awarded to the men's national team, the women's national team, and our sled hockey national team, all who won gold uh in the Olympics. Um, and you are part of that group. Uh so congratulations on that. Uh, I mean, just a nice uh, you know, I don't want to call it the cherry on top because it's a pretty substantial award, but yeah, but but a nice cap off uh to honestly a career year for you. I mean, from where we started to where we got, this has got to be one of not just the greatest stories on ice, right? For you, Haley, but also what an opportunity for us to document uh really a career year for you, where you have now, just to recap the audience, just in case you didn't know, won an Olympic gold medal, you've won a Walter Cup championship, you are now as humble as you are. I'm gonna say it, you are now the only female player in history to have done both in the same season. There's just the one, it's you. You will always, for the rest of time, be the first person to have done that. Pretty good year, Haley. I don't know. Pretty cool. Yeah, go from it's an amazing year. Uh, I think the first thing from from all of us is just congratulations. This has just been wonderful, and we are so happy for you. Thank you so much.

SPEAKER_05 1:04:04

Yeah, it's uh pretty surreal, honestly. Uh, you saying that, just kind of like cementing it further in like how incredible and cool it is and historical and all those things. Um yeah, it's been a pretty amazing year. Yeah.

SPEAKER_03 1:04:20

You know, what started as a day in the life for us became a season in history for hockey. For Haley Skomora, it was two lifelong dreams realized in one year. For the rest of us, it was a front row seat to the growth of women's hockey. And maybe that's the most powerful part of the story. The history that Haley is making today becomes the possibility young players will expect tomorrow. That's really powerful. We got to give a big thank you to our friend Haley Skomora for allowing us to do this journey from the uncertainty at the beginning of the season to the celebration at the end. And we want to thank all of you as well for watching or listening and coming along with us on this journey. Have fun, skate on, and we'll see you on the next edition of Our Kids Play Hockey. Take care, everybody. We hope you enjoyed this edition of Our Kids Play Hockey. Make sure to like and subscribe right now if you found value wherever you're listening, whether it's a podcast network, a social media network, or our website, our kidsplayhockey.com. Also, make sure to check out our children's book, When Hockey Stops, at When Hockey Stops.com. It's a book that helps children deal with adversity in the game and in life. We're very proud of it. But thanks so much for listening to this edition of Our Kids Play Hockey, and we'll see you on the next episode.