Manon Rheaume, Age 19 (Continued)

Manon Rhéaume became the first woman to play in the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League (QMJHL). She joined the Draveur’s as a third-string goalie, but months passed before she got to play. Toward the end of the season, the starting goalie was injured, and his backup allowed too many goals to be scored. So, Coach Drapeau took a chance and put Manon in the game. As she skated to the net, the crowd gave Manon a standing ovation which turned her nervousness into confidence.

Fans went wild each time Manon blocked a shot. She played goalie against the Granby Bisons for seventeen minutes when a hard shot slammed into her mask, cracked it, and cut deeply into the side of her face. She had to leave the game to get stitches.

Less than a year later, at age 20, Manon played for the new NHL team, the Tampa Bay Lightning, and became the first woman to play in any of the four major professional North American sports league (hockey, football, baseball, and basketball). She also was the first woman to play in the International Hockey League.
(Quebec, Canada: 1991)