Hockey’s longest shutout streak has ended. Women are finally being welcomed into the game’s ultimate old boys’ club — the Hockey Hall of Fame.

In an historic breakthrough, two female players — including Toronto’s Angela James — will be inducted into the shinny shrine at a ceremony this November, the Hall announced on Tuesday.

James, a four-time gold medallist for Canada at the first women’s world championships in the 1990s, will be joined by American star Cammi Granato. Once fierce rivals, they are now linked as pioneers, entering the hockey Hall that has been venerating men since 1945.

“This is a day I never really thought would ever happen,” said James, who now lives in Richmond Hill. “I look at this as being a great day for female hockey.”

The Hall added just one man, Sarnia’s Dino Ciccarelli. He became the 245th male player honoured.

The Illinois-born Granato, who once played university hockey in Canada for the Concordia Stingers, called it “a dream” for female players to finally be inducted into the Hall.

“It’s almost unfathomable for a woman,” she said.

While some critics might believe more than the ice has frozen over with women now embraced by the hallowed institution, the downtown Toronto Hall actually changed its selection procedure this year to be more female friendly.

While women have always been eligible, they previously had to compete with men for the four spots open to athletes each year. Now two women can be inducted annually, their accomplishments judged on their own merit.

The induction of James and Granato, selected by an 18-member, all-male committee, won’t be just a one-off, token gesture, said Bill Hay, chairman of the Hockey Hall of Fame’s board of directors.

“It’s time for females to be in,” he said. “Changing the voting regulations . . . really fits with our long-range plan.

In addition to her heroics on the international stage, James was a medallist at 12 national championships, earning MVP honours at eight of them.