Of all the places Hilary Knight has played competitive hockey 香蕉视频直播� from Beijing to Utica, New York 香蕉视频直播� during her 17 U.S. national team seasons, the Boston Fleet captain holds a soft spot for Seattle, not far from her home in Sun Valley, Idaho.

Two years have passed, but the four-time Olympian still excitedly reflects on the electric atmosphere a U.S.-Canada Rivalry Series record-crowd of 14,551 created inside the NHL Kraken香蕉视频直播檚 arena.

香蕉视频直播淭o be honest, I have yet to experience another crowd like that,香蕉视频直播� Knight said of playing in Climate Pledge Arena, where she scored twice and added an assist in 4-2 win. 香蕉视频直播淪eattle holds a special place in my mind, and that香蕉视频直播檚 why I香蕉视频直播檓 super excited to be able to share that experience with other teammates, whether it香蕉视频直播檚 on the Fleet or on the Montreal team.香蕉视频直播�

Knight makes her return to the Pacific Northwest on Sunday, when Boston faces the Montreal Victoire to kick off the . Dubbed 香蕉视频直播淭he Takeover Tour,香蕉视频直播� the Seattle stop is the first of nine out-of-market outings the PWHL will play in places including Raleigh, North Carolina, St. Louis and Vancouver, British Columbia.

The series serves two major purposes for the six-team league : Aside from broadening the sport香蕉视频直播檚 reach across North America, the tour allows the PWHL to test markets as it considers .

香蕉视频直播淚 think any opportunity to have an outreach of currently out-of-market games for us is a critical one for the growth of the game and also our league,香蕉视频直播� Knight said of a league whose westernmost team is in Minnesota.

香蕉视频直播淲ould I love to see teams out west? Absolutely. I think it香蕉视频直播檚 a prime hockey market,香蕉视频直播� added Knight. 香蕉视频直播淪o there香蕉视频直播檚 really no sky or ceiling to where this league can go.香蕉视频直播�

Rounding out the list of neutral sites are Denver, Detroit, Buffalo, New York, and the Canadian cities Edmonton and Quebec City. Detroit is already considered a front-runner for expansion and the only repeat city on the schedule after drawing 13,736 fans for one of ; Pittsburgh was the other.

Minnesota goalie Nicole Hensley looks forward to her Denver homecoming on Jan. 12, when the Frost play Montreal at the Avalanche香蕉视频直播檚 Ball Arena.

香蕉视频直播淚 think the last time I (played in Denver) was in high school,香蕉视频直播� Hensley said.

香蕉视频直播淵eah, it was a pretty small rink, so this will be little different,香蕉视频直播� Hensley added, noting she attended many Avalanche games. 香蕉视频直播淚香蕉视频直播檓 not going to lie, I香蕉视频直播檝e been looking forward to it for a while.香蕉视频直播�

Current players aren香蕉视频直播檛 the only ones awaiting tour stops.

Cammi Granato, who captained the United States to win gold at the first Winter Games to feature women香蕉视频直播檚 hockey in Nagano in 1998, considers the tour yet another a breakthrough for her sport, with Montreal playing Toronto in her adopted hometown of Vancouver on Jan. 8.

香蕉视频直播淚t香蕉视频直播檚 something I never thought could be possible,香蕉视频直播� Granato wrote in a text to The Associated Press.

香蕉视频直播淲hen I was growing up, I had the same dream as my brothers to play in the NHL. As I got older, it was hard to accept that I didn香蕉视频直播檛 have the same opportunities to play professional hockey,香蕉视频直播� added Granato, . 香蕉视频直播淚t is incredible to see that it can be a dream come true for this generation of players.香蕉视频直播�

Montreal rookie Jennifer Gardiner is from suburban Vancouver and felt isolated from women香蕉视频直播檚 hockey because much of it was being played in the east. She香蕉视频直播檚 excited to hear the Victoire香蕉视频直播檚 game against Toronto has already sold out with the region香蕉视频直播檚 youth girls香蕉视频直播� hockey associations suspending play that day in order to attend.

香蕉视频直播淚t goes to show how important it is to continue to expand this league and get these games all over North America because people want to watch,香蕉视频直播� said Gardiner, who played at Ohio State. 香蕉视频直播淚 haven香蕉视频直播檛 stopped smiling since I heard about these games out west.香蕉视频直播�

The Kraken privately campaigned to land one of the PWHL香蕉视频直播檚 inaugural franchises a year ago. Seattle香蕉视频直播檚 staff includes assistant GM Alexandra Mandrycky and it is the .

香蕉视频直播淲e are committed to growing the game of hockey for both boys and girls in the Pacific Northwest. It香蕉视频直播檚 inspiring for young women in our region to witness female success in hockey on and off the ice,香蕉视频直播� Kraken GM Ron Francis said. 香蕉视频直播淭his is an exciting moment for our community and an important step forward for women香蕉视频直播檚 hockey.香蕉视频直播�