For the third year in a row, the Montréal Victoire are headed to the PWHL playoffs.
This season, Montréal finished first in the league once again, owing to lights out goaltending, improved depth scoring, and a proven ability to grind out key matches. Past playoff results haven’t been pretty, but do they finally have what it takes to win a series, and potentially even a Walter Cup?
After finishing first, Montréal has decided to face the back-to-back defending champion Minnesota Frost in the semifinal. Ahead of the series kick off on Saturday, here’s a look at what this postseason has in store for Montréal.
Season Summary
Given their core of star veterans and notable free agent additions, expectations were high on the Victoire entering the season. Early results were up and down, with four regulation losses in their first eight games. Through it all, coach Kori Cheverie preached patience as this group found their rhythm and chemistry.
Well, that patience paid out in spades. Through their final 18 games, the Victoire suffered just one regulation loss. Montréal was without captain Marie-Philip Poulin and veteran blueliner Erin Ambrose for the majority of the second half of the season, but still managed to kick things into a higher gear. The Victoire finished first with 62 points and a 16-6-2-6 record, posting the most wins in PWHL history.
Past Playoff Performances
Despite being historically strong in the regular season, the Victoire have not fared as well in the postseason. In the inaugural season, the Boston Fleet (then PWHL Boston) swept Montréal in the opening round. Last year, the Victoire finished first in the league and selected the Ottawa Charge as their semifinal opponent. They managed a first-ever playoff win, albeit in quadruple overtime. Once again, they fell in the opening series, this time 3-1.
Players to Watch
Marie-Philip Poulin – For reasons that should be obvious at this point, Captain Clutch is always one to watch when she’s on the ice. But this year, there’s some extra intrigue. Poulin missed 11 games this year, owing to a knee injury suffered during the Winter Olympics in February. The 35-year-old only returned to game action last weekend. Playing in Montréal’s final contest of the season, she logged 17 minutes and an assist.
In a press conference earlier this week, Poulin would not comment on her health, only saying, “I’m going to do anything to play my game.” This year, Poulin has three goals and six points in three games against the Frost.
Ann-Renée Desbiens – Montréal’s goaltender finished the season with a staggering 19 wins in 25 games, posting a league-leading .955 SV% and seven shutouts. She has already blanked Minnesota twice this year, but only has one playoff win so far in the PWHL.
Abby Roque – Since being acquired from the New York Sirens last summer, Roque has been one of Montréal’s splashiest new additions. The 28-year-old forward found quick chemistry with Poulin and Laura Stacey, becoming a quick fan favourite as she racked up points on the top line. Her production slowed slightly in Poulin’s absence, but she ended the year with a team-leading 22 points, setting career highs across the board. Now set to make her postseason debut, we’ll get a first glimpse at what playoff Abby Roque can do.
Nicole Gosling – The rookie defender started the year slow, but a strong second half landed her tied for third in scoring among all defenders league-wide with 19 points. She enters her PWHL playoff debut on a six-game point streak, and could be a major difference-maker for Montréal.
Keys to a Series Win
Punish Minnesota’s defence early – Montréal’s struggles in the playoffs so far have come at the hand of a hot goalie on the other end of the ice. In order to avoid falling into the same trap, the Victoire need to strike early in Game 1 to get their confidence going, and potentially force Ken Klee into some tough decisions for his Game 2 starter.
Keep rolling out all four lines – The biggest change year-over-year for Montréal has been the emergence of their depth scoring. Where in the past they relied on Laura Stacey and Poulin to bury pucks, this year they’ve seen scoresheet contributions from across the lineup. The continued success of Montréal depth scoring is crucial to a first-round series win.
Be physical, but disciplined – This year, the Victoire are playing a more physical game, frustrating opponents with heavy hits and a solid backcheck. At the same time, it has led to some unfortunately timed penalties, costing leads late. Montréal finished the year with the top PK% (91.8%), but they’re up against the league’s top power-play in the Frost (23.0%). Needless to say, they should try and avoid a special teams battle.
Semifinal Matchup
Regular Season Series
- Sunday, January 4 vs. MIN – 3-2 OTW
- Wednesday, January 21 @ MIN – 2-1 OTW
- Sunday, March 1 vs. MIN – 4-0 W
- Wednesday, March 25 @ MIN – 3-0 W
Semifinal Schedule
- Game 1 vs. MIN – Saturday, May 2 (2 p.m. ET), Place Bell, Laval, QC
- Game 2 vs. MIN – Tuesday, May 5 (7 p.m. ET), Place Bell, Laval, QC
- Game 3 @ MIN – date/time/venue TBA
- (if necessary) Game 4 @ MIN – date/time/venue TBA
- (if necessary) Game 5 vs. MIN – date/time/venue TBA
All games will be broadcast nationally in the U.S. on Scripps Sports Network, and locally on FOX 9+ Minneapolis and FOX 10 XTRA Phoenix. In Canada, games will be broadcast exclusively on Prime Video.
What to Expect
This season, the Victoire went undefeated against the Frost, but the playoffs are a whole new beast. Minnesota have won back-to-back Walter Cups, so they know what it takes to go the distance. They play physical and fast, and were the only team to average over three goals a game this season, with 91 goals in 30 games.
That being said, their biggest weakness is on defence, where the Victoire excel. Montréal finished the year with the fewest goals against (41), while netting the second-most goals in the league (78). Expect a physical, gritty series, with back-and-forth action.