Marie-Philip Poulin secured a thrilling overtime victory for the Montreal Victoire by scoring her second goal of the game just 3 minutes and 12 seconds into the extra period, leading her team to a 3-2 win over the Minnesota Frost in Professional Women’s Hockey League action on Sunday.
Poulin showcased her skills by maneuvering past the Minnesota defense before executing a backhand shot that beat goaltender Maddie Rooney in front of a packed crowd of 10,172 at Place Bell. This goal extended Poulin’s impressive five-game point streak.
In addition to Poulin’s stellar performance, Abby Roque also found the back of the net for Montreal, with Poulin providing an assist to contribute to a three-point night. Goaltender Ann-Renee Desbiens made 19 crucial saves to secure the victory.
On the other side, Mae Batherson and Kendall Coyne Schofield scored for Minnesota, with Rooney delivering a commendable 35-save performance in her second consecutive start.
The game was forced into overtime due to two late goals in the third period. Coyne Schofield gave Minnesota a 2-1 lead with just 1 minute and 50 seconds remaining, but Roque managed to tie the game with a tip-in goal off Poulin’s pass from the side of the net with only 28.7 seconds left in regulation.
The scoring action began when Batherson netted her second goal of the season from a shot in the left circle, beating Desbiens 1 minute and 9 seconds into the second period.
Despite being outshot by the Frost 9-7 in the first period, Montreal dominated the shot count, tallying 38 shots on goal compared to Minnesota’s 21.
Notably, Montreal played without Erin Ambrose due to illness, while Minnesota’s Dominique Petrie exited the game with an injury and did not return.
In the end, Montreal’s victory marked the end of a three-game losing streak, a significant turnaround for the team. The win propelled them out of last place in the PWHL standings, with Poulin and Roque’s late-game heroics proving crucial.
Looking ahead, Montreal is set to face the Vancouver Goldeneyes in Quebec City next Sunday, while the Frost will host the Seattle Torrent on the same day.