On February 28, 2026, Red Bull Heavy Metal made its Canadian debut at Montreal’s Olympic Park, turning the Esplanade Pie-IX into a full-blown street snowboarding arena.

Around 30 riders from Canada and across the globe rolled in for the urban rail jam, building lines across three custom zones made just for this stop. The setup leaned hard into street style. Think long rails, awkward kinks, big gaps, a hip, and even a quarterpipe dropped into the mix. It felt like a supersized city session.

Zone 1 focused on flat rails that looked simple at first glance. The catch came at the end, where riders had to clear a gap before hitting the landing. Clean tricks mattered, but commitment mattered more.

For Zone 2, both features in this section sent riders high into the air, giving them space to throw spins, flips, and heavy tricks with real amplitude. It quickly became one of the loudest parts of the course, with the crowd reacting to every stomped landing and hard slam.

Zone 3 was the beast. A massive rail that tested balance and patience, it rewarded the few who could make it all the way to the final down section. Those who did had a shot at technical enders that separated contenders from champions.

Montreal showed up in force. A huge crowd packed in after gates opened at 1 p.m., with competition running from 2 to 6 p.m. The energy barely dipped before awards at 6:30 p.m., and the celebration carried on late into the night with an after-party at Les Foufounes Électriques.

Quebec’s own Maddox Matte claimed the men’s overall title, feeding off the hometown support. On the women’s side, Mela Stalker, fresh off representing Australia at the Olympics, took the top spot with a composed, high-level performance across all three zones.

Best part was that the whole thing was free. No need to stress about ticket stress, people just showed up and watched some of the best street riders in the world throw down in one of Canada’s most recognizable venues.

If this was the first chapter for Heavy Metal in Montreal, it set the bar high. Olympic Park traded track and field history for steel rails and snow spray, and the city didn’t blink. Here’s hoping it becomes a regular stop. Montreal proved it can handle the heavy stuff!

Check out our favourite photos of the day below or head to our Facebook page for the full gallery!

Red Bull Heavy Metal 2026 in Montreal

All Photo Credit: Drew Hallé

The first game back after the 2026 Winter Olympics carried extra weight at Pacific Coliseum, where fans welcomed their Olympians home before settling in for a crucial PWHL matchup. Gold, Silver, and Bronze medalists were honoured at centre ice in a pre-game ceremony that recognized the league’s international stars, including members of Team Canada, who returned with Silver after falling to Team USA in the Gold medal game. It was a proud moment that gave way to a focused, playoff-style contest between the Toronto Sceptres and Vancouver Goldeneyes.

When the puck dropped, Toronto wasted little time setting the tone. The Sceptres scored twice in a 57-second stretch midway through the first period, creating the separation they would rely on the rest of the afternoon. Sara Hjalmarsson opened the scoring at 7:10, continuing her strong form after an impressive Olympic showing with Sweden. Less than a minute later, rookie Lauren Messier found the back of the net for her first career PWHL goal, finishing a clean setup from Claire Dalton. Dalton, who assisted on both goals, recorded her first multi-point performance with Toronto and was a steady presence throughout the game.

Those two quick strikes proved decisive in what quickly became a goaltending showcase.

Toronto netminder Raygan Kirk delivered one of her most composed performances of the season, turning aside 25 of 26 shots and controlling the pace whenever Vancouver tried to build momentum. Her rebound management stood out, particularly during extended stretches of pressure in the third period. The only puck that slipped past her came midway through the final frame, when Vancouver’s Izzy Daniel buried a centering pass from Hannah Miller to cut the deficit to 2-1. Daniel continues to lead the Goldeneyes offensively, and her goal injected life into the building.

From that point forward, the Goldeneyes pressed hard for an equalizer. Vancouver sustained pressure in the offensive zone and pulled goaltender Emerance Maschmeyer for the extra attacker in the final minutes, creating several tense scrambles around the Toronto crease. Kirk remained calm through traffic and sealed the win with a series of controlled saves, finishing with a .962 save percentage and earning first-star honours.

Maschmeyer was strong at the other end despite taking the loss. The Canadian Olympic Silver medalist stopped 22 shots and was sharp after the early first-period flurry, giving Vancouver every chance to claw back into the game. Her workload was lighter than usual, but she delivered when tested.

The victory marks Toronto’s first consecutive wins of the season and continues a curious trend: the Sceptres have been far stronger on the road than at home. With 15 road points, they now sit tied for fifth place in the standings with 23 points overall. Both wins on this West Coast swing have come in tight, disciplined efforts, a notable shift from their January visit to Vancouver that ended in a lopsided defeat.

For the Goldeneyes, the challenge remains generating consistent offence. They have now been held to one goal or fewer nine times this season, the most in the league, and despite outshooting Toronto during stretches of today’s game, they struggled to convert sustained pressure into goals. There were encouraging signs, including a six-shot performance from Sarah Nurse and Daniel’s continued scoring touch, but Vancouver will look for more finish in their upcoming homestand.

Today’s matchup felt like a transition point for both teams. The Olympic spotlight has faded, the medal ceremonies are complete, and the playoff race is tightening. In a game defined by early execution and late composure, Toronto found just enough offence and leaned on elite goaltending to secure two valuable points, leaving Vancouver to regroup as the stretch drive begins.

Upcoming schedule:
Toronto: Tuesday, Mar. 3 vs. Montréal at 7 p.m. ET / 4 p.m. PT 
Vancouver: Tuesday, Mar. 10 vs. Boston at 7 p.m. PT / 10 p.m. ET

Check out our favourite photos of the game below or head to our Facebook page for the full gallery!

VANCOUVER GOLDENEYES v TORONTO SCEPTRES – MARCH 1, 2026

All Photo Credit: Caroline Charruyer