Highlights and Press Conferences available on Montréal and Toronto YouTube channels
HALIFAX, NS (December 17, 2025) – A sold out crowd of 10,438 at Scotiabank Centre in Halifax were treated to a thrilling 2-1 shootout win for the Montréal Victoire over the Toronto Sceptres on Wednesday night in the DoorDash PWHL Takeover Tour™ presented by the Province of Nova Scotia. Ann-Renée Desbiens made a season-high 35 saves and turned aside all five shootout attempts, while captain Marie-Philip Poulin scored the shootout’s only goal to clinch a third straight win for Montréal, including two in a row over Toronto. Both goals in regulation were PWHL firsts for the scorers in the opening frame, beginning with Sceptres defender Anna Kjellbin at 3:26, then Victoire rookie forward Maya Labad at 12:16. Toronto had an opportunity to win the game in overtime on a breakaway chance by Emma Maltais, who beat Desbiens with her shot, just as a penalty was called against Renata Fast for interference to negate the goal. Raygan Kirk stopped 30 shots for the Sceptres in the loss. This was the second of three meetings this month between the Canadian rivals who will hit the Bell Centre ice on Dec. 27. Tonight’s game was also the first of two Takeover Tour games to be played in Halifax this season with the Ottawa Charge and Boston Fleet scheduled to battle on Jan. 11, 2026.
QUOTES
Montréal Head Coach Kori Cheverie on playing in her home province in front of a sold-out crowd: “It was amazing to see the young girls and boys in the crowd wearing our jerseys, saying our names, and wanting our autographs. It's just extremely special. I remember when I was that age, there weren't any girls' teams to play on in Pictou County, and now that we're seeing so many associations and girls all over Nova Scotia and the other Atlantic provinces – I think I saw a Newfoundland flag somewhere tonight. I think that it's just so important for these meaningful moments to happen in hockey and for our sport to continue to grow.”
Victoire goaltender Ann-Renée Desbiens on her teammates’ work in front of her: “It's always fun to play behind this team – you always have players you can rely on. There are always people willing to block shots and do the little things that may go unnoticed to most players, but for me, it makes the biggest difference, whether it's the box out, clearing out the rebounds and all those things. I was really thankful today for all the help I got, and I'm glad that we could get two points and a win here for Kori at home. It was truly special. I'm glad I could contribute, but there's so many people that contribute that go unnoticed. I think as a goalie, we're just more under the spotlight all the time.”
Toronto Head Coach Troy Ryan on goaltender Raygan Kirk: “She’s just playing with confidence. Came in the year kind of nursing a bit of an injury from last year and managed that like a pro would do. In all the games that she’s played this year, she’s given us a chance to win. I thought she was good on the penalty kill, and she showed some confidence in the shootout as well. Any time you can attempt to pull out a poke check on one of the best players in the world, I think it’s showing that you’re feeling confident. She gave us a chance to win tonight, and she’s done that in all her starts.”
Sceptres Captain Blayre Turnbull on playing in home province: “We hope that the impact is a positive one. Everywhere we go, that’s the impression we want to leave, for little girls to know that they have a dream and that their dream can become a reality. I know when Allie (Munroe) and I were little, we didn’t have the chance to dream of playing professional hockey. We saw the men play in the NHL and the women play in the Olympics. For young girls to now have the chance to see us play in the PWHL, I think it’s an awesome opportunity for them to chase their dreams and to try and be a professional hockey player when they grow up.”
NOTABLES
This was the first of 16 games in the 2025-26 PWHL Takeover Tour™ and the 12th neutral site game since the league’s launch in 2024. Tonight’s attendance marks the fourth Takeover Tour sell out all-time following games in Edmonton (Feb. 16), Québec City (Jan. 19) and Vancouver (Jan. 8) which featured a 4-2 Montréal win over Toronto.
Tonight’s game was the third shootout decision between the teams in 13 all-time meetings. Toronto won a 4-3 shootout during the inaugural season on Jan. 20, 2024, and Montréal won a 4-3 shootout last season on Jan. 30, 2025. The shootout was the first of the 2025-26 PWHL season, following 11 shootouts during the 2024-25 campaign with Montréal posting a 3-2 record and Toronto going 1-2 in such results.
Marie-Philip Poulin is the PWHL all-time leader in shootout goals with seven and has taken multiple attempts in seven of the team’s nine all-time shootouts, including tonight.
Ann-Renée Desbiens has stopped all five skaters in three of her last four shootouts dating back to last season’s opener against Ottawa. Her 35 saves are her most in a regular-season game since stopping 40 in a 2-1 shootout win over Minnesota on Mar. 4, 2025, which also featured a perfect 5/5 in the shootout.
Raygan Kirk tied her season-high with 30 saves but falls to 0-2 all-time in shootouts. Her first was a 4-3 loss to Minnesota on Jan. 28 where she allowed two goals on four shootout attempts.
Anna Kjellbin scored her first career regular-season goal in her 30th career game. The Swedish defender first found the back of the net for the Sceptres in Game 3 of the PWHL Playoffs against Minnesota. This time, she scored against her former team, having launched her PWHL career last season with 18 games in Montréal before a Mar. 13 trade brought her to Toronto.
Maya Labad’s first career PWHL goal came in her first career game and on her first career shot. The Victoire fifth-round pick from Mascouche, QC, tallied 51 goals in 147 games over four seasons at Quinnipiac University prior to the PWHL. The rookie was inserted into tonight’s lineup on the fourth line in place of Catherine Dubois who is day-to-day.
Kaitlin Willoughby recorded her first assist of the season and second in 11 career regular season games with the Victoire. Last season, the forward was acquired by Montréal on Mar. 13 in a trade with Toronto for Kjellbin and picked up an assist in the team’s final game on May 3.
Kati Tabin extended her point streak to a career-high three games (1G, 2A) with a secondary helper tonight. She’s now tied for third in PWHL scoring among defenders with three points in four games after finishing the 2024-25 campaign with eight points (4G, 4A) in 28 games.
Clara Van Wieren picked up her first career PWHL point with a primary assist in her fifth career game. The Sceptres third-round pick spent last season with the University of Minnesota-Duluth where she recorded a career-high 40 points, including 23 assists, in 39 games.
Emma Woods recorded her first point of the season with a secondary assist in her fifth game, matching her 2024-25 assist total across 30 games with the Sceptres. Last season, her assist came as part of a two-point performance with a goal and helper in her fourth game on Dec. 18 against New York.
Laura Stacey led all players with a season-high seven shots on goal. Last season, the Victoire alternate captain led the league with 112 shots on goal.
Sceptres captain Blayre Turnbull (Stellarton) and alternate captain Allie Munroe (Yarmouth) became the first Nova Scotia natives to play a PWHL game in their home province.
Munroe took part in the ceremonial puck drop opposite Poulin with Olympians Antonia and Georgia Lewin-LaFrance, a sister sailing team from Chester, NS.
Tonight’s game featured two Head Coaches from Nova Scotia including Montréal’s Kori Cheverie (New Glasgow) and Toronto’s Troy Ryan (Spryfield).
The Victoire and Sceptres have now played in nine different venues in 13 games of their all-time head-to-head series including Toronto’s Coca-Cola Coliseum (2), Mattamy Athletic Centre (1) and Scotiabank Arena (1), Montréal home games at Place Bell (4), Verdun Auditorium (1) and the Bell Centre (1), plus neutral site games at Pittsburgh’s PPG Paints Arena (1), Vancouver’s Rogers Arena (1) and the Scotiabank Centre in Halifax (1).
THREE STARS
1. Ann-Renée Desbiens (MTL) 34/35 SV
2. Marie-Philip Poulin (MTL) SOW
3. Raygan Kirk (TOR) 30/31 SV
STANDINGS
Montréal 8 PTS (2-1-0-2) – 2nd Place (Tied)
Toronto 7 PTS (2-0-1-2) – 4th Place
UPCOMING SCHEDULES
Montréal: Saturday, Dec. 20 at Vancouver at 3 p.m. ET
Toronto: Sunday, Dec. 21 at New York at 12 p.m. ET