On the last day of action before the Olympic break, the Professional Women’s Hockey League (PWHL) had a full slate. The first of those games was an all-Canadian clash between the Montreal Victoire and the Toronto Sceptres. The game was played at Place Bell in Laval, Quebec, on Wednesday evening (Jan. 28). The Victoire came in searching for their third-straight win and a potential leap in the standings.
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Montreal had a 2-1 record coming into this one against Toronto this season, but the Sceptres took their most recent matchup shortly before the new year.
The Victoire got their goals from Natálie Mlýnková, Marie-Philip Poulin, and Shiann Darkangelo in a full team effort. They took advantage of the Sceptres’ lack of discipline, scoring two power-play markers and holding the momentum basically all game. They were victorious by a score of 3-0.
Stacey Ends Scoreless Streak
It was a long five games for star forward Laura Stacey, but she was able to get back on the scoresheet. Before Wednesday’s game, she had zero points since Jan. 4 against the Minnesota Frost. She started the season with seven points in nine games and then completely cooled off for the last few weeks.
Stacey plays primarily on the top line with Poulin and Abby Roque, though that line as a whole has been quieter than usual lately. They will need to really turn up the heat when play resumes in a month because this Victoire team badly needs them to produce to have success in big games. The Stacey-Poulin connection last night is (hopefully) a good sign for the months ahead.
Montreal’s Depth Shows Out
While someone like Stacey may have been struggling as of late, it’s clear this team has a strong supporting cast that can get the job done here and there. The Victoire’s three goals in this one had three different goal scorers and six different players pick up assists. That totals nine different point-getters in an all-around, shutout effort.
This team needs its top unit to score to win, as I mentioned earlier. However, that doesn’t mean the rest of the lineup can’t chip in. They have five players with five-plus points this season outside of their top line, so the help is there if they need it. They can come up big and steal a couple games down the stretch for Montreal.
Victoire Remain Unbeaten at Place Bell This Season
There’s no place like home, and the Victoire are serious about that. They are undefeated at their home, Place Bell, so far this season. They hold a 5-1-0-0 record in that building, something not heard of every day in professional sports. They have allowed just five total goals this season on home ice, and they seem genuinely unstoppable any time they come out to play.
This can be attributed to a few things, but in reality, there’s one thing that stands out: the fans show up every single night in Laval. They consistently have a loud, packed house that can be intimidating to visitors. Fans singing along to every song, chanting and cheering their team on, and just the general atmosphere appears to be second-to-none at Place Bell this season.
Montreal’s next game comes in about a month’s time, after the break, obviously. They will face off with the New York Sirens at the Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey, on Feb. 26, with puck drop slated for 5 p.m. MDT.
