Eve Gascon becomes third woman to play in QMJHL

Eve Gascon made QMJHL history last night, as she became just the third woman to lace up their skates in a QMJHL hockey game.

Gascon made 18 saves for the Gatineau Olympiques in a 5-4 OT loss to the Rimouski Oceanic. The team gave her a very warm welcome, and even made her take the infamous rookie lap in warmups all by herself.

A historical rookie lap. 😍#QMJHL | @OlympiquesGAT pic.twitter.com/KvScLyvSaR

— QMJHL (@QMJHL) March 19, 2022

Gascon joins Manon Rheaume, who played one game for the Trois-Rivieres Draveurs in 1992-93, and Charline Labonte, who played in 28 games for Acadie-Bathurst Titan between 1999 and 2000, as the only women to play in the QMJHL. Rheaume also played a preseason game in the NHL with the Tampa Bay Lightning, the only woman to do so in the NHL.

It was an event many wanted to see in Gatineau, as she played in front of a sold out crowd of 4,700 at the Centre Slush Puppie. The brand new facility just opened this season, but tonight was the first time it had ever been sold out.

Gascon was also the first woman to play in midget triple-A hockey in Quebec, and was playing for the St-Laurent Patriotes of the CEGEP men’s league when she was called up to Gatineau to fill in for injured starter Remi Poirier. In 16 games with the Patriotes, she has a 10-5 record and an .899 save percentage.