Montréal Victoire capture Canada’s first Walter Cup title
Playoff attendance climbs 35 percent year-over-year
NEW YORK AND TORONTO (May 21, 2026) – The Professional Women’s Hockey League (PWHL) has crowned its first Canadian champion as the Montréal Victoire completed a 3-1 series victory over the Ottawa Charge to earn their first Walter Cup title, bringing the league’s record-setting third season to a close. Here’s a closer look at the season-ending action.
POUR LA VICTOIRE
Montréal became the league’s first team to finish in first place during the regular season and win a championship. The Victoire were at the bottom of the standings with eight games under their belt on Jan. 3 and climbed their way to the top with points in 20 of their last 22 games, including a record 16-game point streak. They won a record 22 of 30 regular-season games before making a third straight postseason appearance and eliminated the two-time defending champion Minnesota Frost, a team they chose to face as their opponent, in a semifinal series that went the distance with four of five games decided by one goal. They were the only team to defeat the Charge in overtime this season, doing so twice on home ice to open the finals, and cemented their place in history with a 4-0 shutout win on the road to cap their storybook season.
PLAYOFF ATTENDANCE RECORDS
The PWHL set a new playoff attendance record with 113,087 fans across 13 games, representing a 35 percent increase over the 2025 postseason. Game 3 of the series at Canadian Tire Centre set a single-game playoff attendance record with 16,894 fans. The Game 4 crowd of 12,362 fans brought the league’s full season total to 1,229,584 across 133 games, an average of 9,245 per game, and more than the total attendance of 1,220,985 across the league’s first two seasons in 54 fewer games. All-time PWHL attendance through three full seasons stands at 2,450,569.
HEADED TO THE HALL OF FAME
The Walter Cup will have company at the Hockey Hall of Fame in Toronto with a collection of game-used items from the Victoire. Captain and playoff MVP Marie-Philip Poulin’s jersey, Abby Roque’s stick that scored the championship-winning goal, Laura Stacey’s helmet, Hayley Scamurra’s gloves, Amanda Boulier’s pants, Kaitlin Willoughby’s socks, and Catherine Dubois’ skates were among the equipment items donated to commemorate the championship. Additional items, like lineup cards used behind the bench by head coach Kori Cheverie and assistant coach Caroline Ouellette, the game-winning goal puck, Molson’s custom Victoire beer can, and championship gear including hat and celebratory necklace will also be preserved.
JOCKS IN JILLS EXCLUSIVE POSTGAME
Jocks in Jills, the official podcast of the PWHL, hosted a raw and emotional live postgame show on YouTube, opens in a new tab where hosts Tessa Bonhomme, Julia Tocheri, and Emma Buckles were joined by members of the Victoire — still in uniform — after hoisting the Walter Cup. The 60 minutes featured unfiltered and authentic behind-the-scenes access to the genuine championship reactions and celebrations from players Dubois, Erin Ambrose, Maggie Flaherty, Stacey, and Ann-Renée Desbiens, plus Cheverie and Ouellette.
POULIN ADDS PLAYOFF MVP TO LEGACY
Poulin was voted the Ilana Kloss Playoff MVP Award recipient, one season after ‘Captain Clutch’ earned the Billie Jean King MVP Award and Forward of the Year honors and adds a Walter Cup to her decorated career as a three-time Olympic gold medalist and four-time World Champion. Her eight points in nine games tied for the playoff lead — and tied the league’s all-time record for points in a playoff year — while her six assists led all skaters and are tied for the most in a single postseason. She also scored twice in the semifinals, both game winners, and tied for the playoff lead in shots on goal with 28. The 35-year-old is tied for fourth in all-time playoff scoring with four goals and eight assists in 16 games, while her 67 points in 70 career regular-season games are the most all-time.
ROQUE CAPS PLAYOFF DEBUT IN STYLE
Roque scored twice in the series finale, including the game-winner and a shorthanded ‘jailbreak’ tally for insurance. The performance capped her first season as a member of the Victoire and first taste of PWHL postseason action after 83 career regular season games, tying for the playoff lead in both goals (4) and points (8).
DESBIENS SHUTS THE DOOR
Desbiens turned aside all 23 shots faced in Game 4 for her second shutout of the postseason, finishing with a 1.40 goals-against average and .944 save percentage, and a streak of eight straight games with two or fewer goals against. Her two shutouts were the only blanks in the entire postseason after delivering seven of the league’s 30 shutouts during the regular season. Desbiens was the first player to be handed the Walter Cup from Poulin and passed it to Stacey, symbolic of the team’s inaugural trio of foundational signings.
THREE-PEAT FOR FLAHERTY
Flaherty is the league’s first three-time Walter Cup champion, having joined the Victoire following back-to-back titles with the Frost. The Lakeville, MN native tied for the lead in scoring among defenders with four points (3G, 1A), including the fourth and final goal of the postseason, and the overtime winner in Game 2 of the finals.
SCAMURRA WINS HISTORIC DOUBLE GOLD, JOINS TRIPLE GOLD CLUB
Scamurra made history as the first player to win the Walter Cup and an Olympic gold medal in the same season, 90 days after celebrating with Team USA in Milan. The Buffalo, NY native had four points (2G, 2A) in the postseason, including a goal in Game 3 of the finals. She is one of five Victoire players to join the prestigious Triple Gold Club, now with 14 members, representing players who have won a Walter Cup, Olympic gold, and World Championship gold medal in their careers, along with Ambrose, Desbiens, Poulin, and Stacey who have enjoyed their international success with Canada. Scamurra may have the opportunity to complete the calendar trifecta with Women’s Worlds scheduled for November in Denmark.
LA BELLE PROVINCE AND INTERNATIONAL FIRSTS
The first Canadian champion has six players representing the team’s home province of Québec, including Desbiens (Clermont), Jade Downie-Landry (St-Jean-Sur-Richelieu), Dubois (Québec), Maya Labad (Mascouche), Alexandra Labelle (St-Louis-De-Gonzague), and Poulin (Beauceville). They are the province’s first six Walter Cup champions in PWHL history. Additional provincial firsts include Manitoba’s Kati Tabin (Winnipeg) and Saskatchewan’s Willoughby (Prince Albert). Three more countries can stake claim to their first Walter Cup winners with Sandra Abstreiter (Germany), Lina Ljungblom (Sweden), and Nadia Mattivi (Italy).
FINALS SCORES
Game 1: Thursday, May 14
Ottawa (2) at Montréal (3) OT
Game 2: Saturday, May 16
Ottawa (1) at Montréal (2) OT
Game 3: Monday, May 18
Montréal (1) at Ottawa (2)
Game 4: Wednesday, May 20
Montréal (4) at Ottawa (0)