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Game Recap: Pelkey Scores Overtime Winner, Montréal Falls To Boston In Home Opener

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by Ashley McLellan

MONTREAL, QC (January 13, 2024) — Amanda Pelkey gave Boston its first-ever win on Saturday, as the forward scored at 2:17 in overtime to lift her team to a 3-2 victory over Montréal.

A sold-out Verdun Auditorium showed up to see Montréal play on home ice for the first time—the last of the league’s six teams to play in their home opener— after the team played their first three games on the road.

The home crowd went into a frenzy when captain Marie-Philip Poulin put the puck past Boston goaltender Aerin Frankel just 20 seconds into 3-on-3 overtime, but the goal was called back after video review determined that there was goaltender interference on the play.

The game ended less than two minutes later when a loose puck was poked free by Boston’s Gigi Marvin and onto the stick of Pelkey, who buried the puck past a diving Ann-Renée Desbiens. Jamie Lee Rattray recorded the secondary assist on the tally and ended the game with two helpers.

After a scoreless first period in which Montréal outshot Boston 11-6, the home team officially opened the scoring in the second period —33 seconds into the frame— when defender Erin Ambrose netted the first home goal in the team's history off a shot from the point.

Just 29 seconds after Montréal went up 1-0, forward Laura Stacey doubled the lead for her team off a one-time shot from the top of the slot. Tereza Vanišová picked up the primary assist on the goal and now leads all PWHL players with 4 assists on the season. Kristin O’Neill recorded her second assist of the season on the goal.

Montréal looked to further add to its lead when Boston defender Emily Brown took a penalty at 3:20 of the second period but, instead, it was the road team who capitalized on the penalty kill as Taylor Girard scored on a breakaway 55 seconds into the penalty. Marvin recorded her first of two assists in the game on the tally.

The shorthanded goal — the first-ever in team history —cut the lead in half to 2-1, and freed teammate Brown from the box per the PWHL’s penalty kill rule where a shorthanded goal ends the penalized team’s minor penalty.

The action-packed second period continued at 5:46 when Boston forward Hannah Brandt tied the game at 2-2, finishing a tic-tac-toe play from linemates Theresa Schafzahl and Rattray.

The third period saw Montreal outshoot Boston 11-3 but neither team could break the 2-2 tie, which sent the game into extra time.

Up next, Montréal continues its 3-game homestand when they host New York at Place Bell on January 16. Boston looks to make it two in a row when they visit Toronto on January 17.

NOTES:

  • Three Stars: 1) Amanda Pelkey 2) Laura Stacey 3) Aerin Frankel
  • Attendance: 3,245.
  • Montréal finished the game with a 33-21 shot advantage.
  • Frankel made 31 saves for Boston and picked up her first PWHL win.
  • Ann-Renée Desbiens made 18 saves in the loss — Desbiens has started 3 of 4 games for Montréal and has backstopped the team to 3 points (OTW, OTL).
  • Laura Stacey recorded a game-high 9 shots on goal, the most by any player in a single game in the PWHL this season — Marie-Philip Poulin was second in shots with 5 on goal.
  • Boston defence Sidney Morin had 4 shots and teammate Hilary Knight finished second on the team with 3.
  • Boston didn’t record a shot on goal in the third period until the 12:56 mark — The shot came off the stick of Theresa Schafzahl.
  • Both teams went 0/3 on the powerplay in the game.
  • Boston’s Gigi Marvin and Megan Keller both finished with a game-high +2 rating.
  • Montréal alternate captain Ann-Sophie Bettez returned after a two-game absence — Laura Stacey returned after missing the team’s previous game.
  • The game was Montréal’s second to go to overtime in 4 contests this season —The team beat Ottawa 3-2 in overtime on January 2.
  • Both Boston games this season have finished with final scores of 3-2.
  • Montréal has recorded points in 3 of 4 games played this season.
  • Local and Canadian women’s hockey legends Danielle Goyette, France St-Louis, Kim St-Pierre, Danièle Sauvageau, and Caroline Ouellette performed the ceremonial puck drop before the game.