Marie-Philip Poulin, also known as “Captain Clutch,” showcased her goal-scoring prowess by netting the game-winning goal at 4:02 of the third overtime period. This crucial goal led the Montreal Victoire to a 1-0 victory over the Minnesota Frost in Game 2 of the Professional Women’s Hockey League semifinal series.
The winning play unfolded as Laura Stacey entered the offensive zone, slowed down, and passed the puck to Abby Roque, who then made a cross-ice pass to Poulin. Poulin swiftly unleashed a one-timer from the right circle that eluded the Minnesota goaltender, Maddie Rooney. This marked Poulin’s first career playoff overtime goal in the PWHL.
With this triumph, Montreal leveled the best-of-five series at 1-1, setting the stage for the next two games in Minnesota after the series opener saw the Frost claim a 5-4 overtime victory.
Expressing her elation, Poulin emphasized the team’s momentum and determination, stating, “We wanted to win at home in front of our fans, we gave them practically two games in one. We’ll celebrate it, but we’ll go to Minnesota and do the work there.”
Despite battling a lower-body injury that sidelined her for most of the regular season’s final matches, Poulin persevered through discomfort to contribute significantly to her team’s success. The Montreal goaltender, Ann-Renee Desbiens, showcased her resilience by recording a shutout with 38 saves, rebounding from a challenging Game 1 performance where she allowed five goals for the first time in her PWHL career.
Desbiens reflected on her stellar performance, stating, “I wasn’t really worried. It’s not like I have a habit of stringing poor performances together.”
The intense matchup featured outstanding goaltending from both sides, with Rooney making 51 saves in a losing effort. The game marked the third time in league history that a playoff game ended without a regulation goal, with Montreal dominating the overtime period with a 25-11 shot advantage over Minnesota.
Looking ahead, both teams are gearing up for a quick turnaround as they head to Minnesota for the next games in the series. With Game 3 set to take place at the Grand Casino Arena in St. Paul, Minn., the stakes are high as the Frost now hold home-ice advantage.
