Marie-Philip Poulin scores the game-winning goal in the third period of the fifth and final game of the Professional Women's Hockey League (PWHG) semifinal series between Montreal Victoire and Minnesota Frost, clinching a 2-1 victory and securing the Victoire's spot in the Walter Cup Final. Poulin, a veteran player, had struggled with a lower-body injury throughout the playoffs but managed to find another level.
LAVAL — Marie-Philip Poulin is no stranger to big games, big moments or big goals. Her power-play goal 3:06 into the third period held up to be another game-winner for Captain Clutch as the Montreal Victoire edged the Minnesota Frost 2-1 in the fifth and deciding game of their Professional Women’s Hockey League semifinal series at Place Bell on Tuesday.
“It’s very special,” said Poulin. “We knew it wasn’t going to be easy. It was going to be a battle. We’re happy right now, but we’re not done yet.
” Poulin’s second game-winning goal of the tight series led the Victoire to their first Walter Cup Final appearance despite a lower-body injury that kept her out of 10 of the final 11 regular-season games and had her labouring throughout the playoffs.
“ found another level,” said Montreal head coach Kori Cheverie. “She was incredible. I can’t say enough great things about Pou and what she’s doing for our group right now. ” With Montreal on the power play, Erin Ambrose made a cross-ice pass to Poulin, who beat Maddie Rooney on a sharp angle near the goal line.
“She’s one of the best of all-time,” said Minnesota defender Lee Stecklein, who has faced Poulin countless times in international play. “She’s always hard to play against, a great competitor, a great player, and finds a way to put that puck in the net. ” Montreal’s win sets up an all-Canadian Walter Cup Final with the Ottawa Charge, ensuring the league will crown their first-ever Canadian champion after the Frost won the first two titles.
Game 1 of the series will be in Montreal on Thursday. Ottawa will be playing in their second straight final. Tuesday’s game was played 24 hours later than scheduled as the league postponed Monday’s game for player-safety reasons as an illness went through the Victoire locker room. It is the first time the Frost lost a game facing elimination, moving to 6-1.
They have been in all three of the league’s deciding fifth games. Montreal is the first higher seed to win a playoff series in the PWHL’s history. Minnesota pushed hard after Poulin’s go-ahead goal, trying to tie the game and keep its season alive. The Frost pulled Rooney with 2:03 remaining for the extra attacker, but did not get a shot through on Ann-Renee Desbiens.
“The last two minutes felt like 60 minutes,” Cheverie said. “I was trying not to have a panic attack on the bench, but at the same time I felt calm. I felt like we had been through it so many times. ” Desbiens made 25 saves in the win, including an incredible rolling windmill save on Elizabeth Giguere early in the second period.
“There were certainly some moments where she kept us stable and steady,” said Cheverie about her goaltender. “That little windmill save that she did, I see that in small arena games all the time and I’m like ‘ah, she’s never going to use that’ and then she used it tonight. ” Montreal opened the scoring when Catherine Dubois’ shot hit off of Giguere’s stick and tricked Rooney.
Poulin moved Dubois right before the faceoff, and won the draw back to her. The goal came 12:18 into the first period, and was scored after Minnesota opened with a 9-2 shot advantage. Dubois was moved to the top line for this game, and it was her first goal of the playoffs. Rooney made 15 saves in the loss, but made several key saves throughout the game to give her team a chance to win.
Desbiens had an eventful first period of her own. A Mae Batherson shot was deflected in front by Kendall Coyne Schofield and trickled through to Desbiens, but the netminder was able to turn around and use her stick to stop the puck from crossing the line before grabbing it. Minnesota eventually tied the game 1-1 with 11:45 left in the second period when Sam Cogan tipped an Abby Hustler pass in the slot that beat Desbiens.
Up to that point in the second period, both goaltenders made big saves with Desbiens making a rolling two-pad stack save on Giguere, and Rooney stopping Laura Stacey and Kaitlin Willoughby on separate chances early in the frame. The last shot that Minnesota took in the game wasn’t stopped by Desbiens, it was blocked by Ambrose with 12 seconds remaining. It was as close as the Frost would come.
The Canadian national team defender, like Poulin, was injured during the Olympics and it kept her out of the team’s first eight games after play resumed.
“She’s so composed, she’s calm, she knows the right thing to do, I’m not surprised that she saw that pass line up,” said Poulin. “She’s a warrior. We’re lucky to have her behind us. ”
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