Marie-Philip Poulin netted her second goal in overtime, leading the Montreal Victoire to a 3-2 victory over the Minnesota Frost in a Professional Women’s Hockey League match on Sunday afternoon. Poulin’s backhand shot found the net past goaltender Maddie Rooney after she maneuvered through the Minnesota defense in front of a packed crowd of 10,172 at Place Bell. The goal extended Poulin’s impressive five-game point streak.
Abby Roque also found the back of the net for Montreal, with Poulin contributing an assist for a three-point performance. Ann-Renee Desbiens made 19 saves for the Victoire. On the other side, Mae Batherson and Kendall Coyne Schofield scored for Minnesota, while Rooney made 35 saves in her second consecutive start.
Late goals in the third period forced the game into overtime. Coyne Schofield scored her league-leading eighth goal, giving Minnesota a 2-1 lead with 1:50 remaining. However, with the extra attacker, Roque redirected Poulin’s pass into the net from the side with just 28.7 seconds left in regulation to tie the game at 2-2.
Batherson opened the scoring with a goal from the left circle, beating Desbiens early in the second period for her second goal of the season. Montreal outshot Minnesota 38-21 despite the Frost having a 9-7 shot advantage in the first period.
Erin Ambrose of the Canadian national team was absent from the game due to illness, while Minnesota’s Dominique Petrie left the match due to an injury and did not return.
In a busy stretch, Minnesota completed a four-game road trip over nine days, winning two games and earning six out of a possible 12 points. Montreal, led by captain Poulin, ended a three-game losing streak and climbed out of last place in the PWHL with the victory.
The game’s turning point came when Coyne Schofield and Roque scored in the final 1:50 of regulation, sending the game into overtime. Kendall Cooper’s assist on Batherson’s goal set a new PWHL record with her sixth consecutive game with an assist. Cooper’s accomplishment surpassed the previous five-game streak shared by eight players, including Batherson.
Next up, Montreal will face the Vancouver Goldeneyes in Quebec City, while Minnesota will host the Seattle Torrent in their upcoming games.