On Wednesday, April 1, the Montreal Victoire hosted the Vancouver Goldeneyes for the two teams’ third matchup of the 2025-26 Professional Women’s Hockey League (PWHL) season. Heading into this game, the Victoire won the two previous matchups.
This was a quiet game in the first two periods, with both the Goldeneyes and the Victoire taking a number of shots, but none went into the net. It wasn’t until eight minutes into the third period that the Victoire were on the board first. They scored two more empty-net goals to take a 3-0 shutout win over the Goldeneyes.
Victoire Scored Three in the Third
After a scoreless 40 minutes, the Victoire’s offence exploded in the third period to take the win.
Eight minutes into the final frame, Sklar Irving had the puck in the Victoire’s zone. She passed it around the boards for Laura Stacey, who was behind the net. She passed it to Hayley Scamurra in front of the net. No one was defending her, and she took a shot to put Montreal on the board.
There was a minute and change left in the game, and the Goldeneyes pulled Emerance Maschmeyer from the net. Irving stole the puck from the Goldeneyes and passed it down to Stacey. She skated through the neutral zone with Scamurra flanking her. As a two-on-one ensued, Stacey passed to Scamurra. She had an open shot to the yawning cage and scored her second of the night.
Not even a minute after Scamurra’s second goal, the Victoire gained control of the puck again. Maggie Flaherty received the pass, and from the Goldeneyes’ zone, she sent the puck careening towards the net. It hit the target for the third goal of the game and secured the win for Montreal.
This season is Scamurra’s first with the Victoire, and she has been having the best season of her PWHL career thus far. She has 13 points in 24 games, which surpasses her previous career-high point total of 10. She recorded this with Ottawa in 2024 in just as many games. She has been having a breakout season, and with two goals in this game, she continues to elevate her play style each game.
Desbiens Records Sixth Shutout
While Aerin Frankel on the Boston Fleet is having an incredible season, don’t count Ann-Renee Desbiens out of the Goalie of the Year award just yet. For the sixth time this season, Desbiens has recorded a shutout victory. She stopped all 18 shots the Goldeneyes peppered her with to achieve this goal.
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This is the first season she has recorded multiple shutouts in a single season. In the 2024 season, she recorded one, and in 2024-25, she didn’t have a single shutout. She’s trying to give Frankel a run for her money this season, and is doing a good job of it, too.
Victoire Clinch Second Playoff Spot
With the Victoire’s three points, this brings their total to 49 in 2025-26. For the third season in a row, they have made it into the PWHL Playoffs. They also became the first team to clinch a spot in the playoffs in all three PWHL seasons.
The Victoire should be proud of their performance this season, but they can’t slow down just yet. They still have six more games to play this season, and then on to the playoffs to try and win the Walter Cup.
Victoire Hit the Road
The Victoire will take on the Ottawa Charge at Canadian Tire Centre on Friday, April 3. The last meeting of the season between the Victoire and the Goldeneyes will take place in Vancouver on Tuesday, April 21.
