Ottawa looked like they had won Game 1, but with just two seconds left, Nicole Gosling scored a late game-tying goal to force overtime. The goal came just moments after Montréal’s Laura Stacey was helped off the ice with a lower-body injury. Stacey would return for overtime and create chaos in front of the net, allowing the puck to deflect in off Abby Roque for her second goal of the game and a 1–0 series lead for the Victoire.
Just like in Game 1, extra time was needed in this thriller at Place Bell. This time around it was Maggie Flaherty connecting on the game winner off a perfect pass from Marie-Philip Poulin. Kati Tabin had scored Montréal's crucial first goal earler.
Every game of the Walter Cup Finals has been tight, and Game 3 was no different. Montréal looked to close it out in three and complete the sweep, but they were unable to hold onto their lead. The Victoire will get another crack at it Wednesday in Game 4.
Abby Roque comes up huge with two goals while goaltender Ann-Renée Desbiens notches the shutout as the Montréal Victoire close out the Finals with a 4-0 road win and capture the team's first PWHL Walter Cup.
The Victoire take down the two-time reigning Walter Cup champions in five games, winning the series 3–2.
Montréal will now get the chance to play for the Walter Cup against the Charge.
A back-and-forth battle between Minnesota and Montréal needed overtime to decide Game 1 of the series. Laura Stacey was immense, scoring the first hat trick in PWHL playoff history, but it wasn’t enough. The Victoire fall to the Frost in Game 1.
Game 2, like Game 1, needed extra time to separate the Victoire and Frost—but not just one overtime, three. Unlike Game 1, this was a defensive battle, with neither team able to beat the goaltenders in regulation or the first two extra frames. It was Marie-Philip Poulin who finally broke the deadlock with a one-timer, sending the series to Minnesota tied at one game apiece.
Tied at one game apiece, the Victoire and Frost rolled into Minnesota with both teams looking to grab ahold of the series. The Frost scored first through Sidney Morin, but the Victoire answered with two goals of their own in the second from Maggie Flaherty and Hayley Scamurra. That 2–1 score would hold as the final despite a late push from the Frost.
Maureen Murphy records the only tally for the Victoire, but they fall 3–1 to the Frost. Montréal can’t capitalize on a chance to close the series out in four as Minnesota forces a Game 5 back in Québec.
The Victoire get it done on home ice, defeating the Frost to earn the chance to face the Ottawa Charge in the Walter Cup Finals. For Montréal, their stars showed up when it mattered most, with an outstanding performance between the pipes from Ann-Renée Desbiens and, of course, captain clutch Marie-Philip Poulin scoring the game-winner.
The Montréal Victoire are the 2026 PWHL Walter Cup Champions! Celebrate the victory with this exclusive championship collection.
Captain Clutch is back from injury and has already begun to leave her mark on the 2026 Playoffs. The reigning PWHL Billie Jean King MVP will look to lead the Victoire to a championship after playing at nearly a point per game pace during the regular season.
The reigning PWHL Goaltender of the Year, Desbiens is having another vintage season for the Victoire, leading the league with a miniscule 1.11 GAA (including seven shutouts) over the regular season.
The heart of the Victoire's attack, especially when legendary teammate Marie-Philip Poulin was out with injury, Stacey tallied 22 points over the regular season and seems to be in the middle of every big moment for Montréal.
Roque has been an impact player for Montréal all season, notching a career-high 22 points (8G, 14A) in the regular season and tacking on five points through the Victoire's first six post-season games, including the game winner in the Finals opener.
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