With a 3-0 win over the Vancouver Goldeneyes, the Montreal Victoire have become the second team to clinch a playoff spot for the 2025-26 season.
Hayley Scamurra scored twice, including into an empty net. Ann-Renée Desbiens made 18 saves for her sixth shutout of the season, putting her one behind the league leader Aerin Frankel. Laura Stacey and Skylar Irving had two assists in their first full game as the team’s top line. Maggie Flaherty also scored an empty-net goal.
The Victoire are the first team to clinch a playoff spot in all three PWHL seasons. The Boston Fleet missed the playoffs last season and currently sit in first place in the league after clinching a playoff spot over the weekend. The Victoire are two points back and the rivals have two of their six games remaining against each other.
Montreal also set a new PWHL record with a 12th straight game with at least one point, they have gone 8-2-2-0 (RW-OW-OL-RL) over that stretch, dating back to January 21. Their last regulation loss came on January 18.
What is even more impressive is that a lot of this stretch came without Marie-Philip Poulin and Erin Ambrose in the lineup. Ambrose returned to the lineup on Wednesday, having not played since suffering an injury in the Olympic gold medal game. Poulin remains on Long-Term Injured Reserve.
Scamurra scored 8:28 of the third period with a shot from the slot. The Victoire cycled the puck and Laura Stacey fed Scamurra from behind the net. The pair struck again with Stacey leading Scamurra with a cross-ice pass before she put the puck into the empty net with under two minutes remaining.
”I thought Vancouver played a really tough game,” said Montreal head coach Kori Cheverie. “They were very physical and played desperate hockey. I think it took us until the third period to match that desperation. We found a way to win when I didn’t think we had our A-game.”
Two playoff spots remain up for grabs, as the league enters the last month of the regular season.
Montreal now heads to Ottawa to face the Charge in the second-ever game at the Canadian Tire Centre on Friday night.
Standings
| TEAM | GP | GR | RW | OW | SW | OL | RL | PTS | GF | GA | MAX PTS | MAGIC | TRAGIC | #1 | HOME | GOLD | PT % | GF/G | GA/G |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| BOS | 24 | 6 | 13 | 2 | 3 | 2 | 4 | 51 | 59 | 36 | 69 | X | – | 17 | 11 | – | 0.708 | 2.46 | 1.50 |
| MTL | 24 | 6 | 13 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 5 | 49 | 62 | 33 | 67 | X | – | 19 | 13 | – | 0.681 | 2.58 | 1.38 |
| MIN | 24 | 6 | 11 | 3 | 0 | 4 | 6 | 43 | 72 | 53 | 61 | 7 | 28 | 25 | 19 | – | 0.597 | 3.00 | 2.21 |
| TOR | 25 | 5 | 9 | 1 | 0 | 5 | 10 | 34 | 47 | 63 | 49 | 16 | 16 | 34 | 28 | – | 0.453 | 1.88 | 2.52 |
| OTT | 24 | 6 | 6 | 5 | 2 | 1 | 10 | 33 | 56 | 63 | 51 | 17 | 18 | 35 | 29 | – | 0.458 | 2.33 | 2.63 |
| NY | 24 | 6 | 8 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 12 | 29 | 55 | 67 | 47 | 21 | 14 | 39 | 33 | – | 0.403 | 2.29 | 2.79 |
| VAN | 24 | 6 | 7 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 12 | 27 | 44 | 58 | 45 | 23 | 12 | 41 | 35 | – | 0.375 | 1.83 | 2.42 |
| SEA | 23 | 7 | 6 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 14 | 22 | 45 | 67 | 43 | 28 | 10 | 46 | 40 | – | 0.319 | 1.96 | 2.91 |
Full Highlights
