It wasn’t pretty, but three points are in the bank as Montreal saw a 3-0 lead turn into two different one-goal leads before the final buzzer sounded for a 4-3 regulation win against New York in PWHL action at Total Mortgage Arena in Bridgeport, Connecticut.
Marie-Philip Poulin’s goal early in the third period turned into the eventual game-winner as she moved into a tie for the PWHL scoring lead. Four minutes and 23 seconds into the third period, Laura Stacey entered the zone and set up Poulin for a one-timer who beat Corinne Schroeder.
The goal made it 4-2 at the time, and provided the last cushion that Montreal needed.
“We didn’t as a whole group execute what we wanted to execute tonight,” said Montreal head coach Kori Cheverie. “But at the end of the day, we get our three points. And that’s what we’re staying focused on. Now it’s on to the next.”
“At the end of the day, points are what are going to get you into the playoffs and we know we didn’t have our best so we’ve got to we’ve got to be okay with celebrating the three points just for tonight and then move on to the next,” she said.
Montreal opened the scoring with three goals in the first period. Jillian Dempsey scored her first PWHL goal when she skated into the zone, around a defender and put the puck past Schroeder.
Jillian marque son premier but dans l'uniforme de Montréal 😎
— LPHF Montréal (@PWHL_Montreal) March 7, 2024
Jillian's first goal in the Montréal jersey 😎 pic.twitter.com/7iraoPgCiP
The goal came 5:30 into the game, and led to a big celebration for Dempsey, who was the all-time leading scorer in the PHF.
“I was fired up for sure,” Dempsey said. “It’s always an amazing feeling to put the puck in the net and I was really fired up and excited about it.”
This season hasn’t always been easy for Dempsey, whose ice time has been limited as she has mostly led the team’s fourth line.
“You want to have a positive impact in every game and I think just trying to have the mentality of when my name is called to go out there and make an impact in the game and play hard and try to make something happen,” she said. “I want to go out there and make the most of every opportunity when we get it. So definitely feels good to be able to contribute and put the puck in the net.”
The team kept going with some of the unsung heroes of the team getting their names on the scoresheet. Catherine Dubois started the play and sprung Sarah Bujold on a partial break, and Bujold put a backhand top shelf for her second of the year.
Là où maman cache les biscuits
— LPHF Montréal (@PWHL_Montreal) March 7, 2024
Call her Top Cheese Sarah from now on https://t.co/wcJht67TJi pic.twitter.com/rnnKDfgiqg
Just four and a half minutes later, Montreal opened up their 3-0 lead when Poulin fed Gabrielle David on a two-on-one. The shot may have been a change-up from what Schroeder was expecting and David scored her second of the season.
David 🤝 Poulin https://t.co/cdlfkFW4vM pic.twitter.com/uzwVgZHBFk
— LPHF Montréal (@PWHL_Montreal) March 7, 2024
New York’s power play got them back into the game just 1:12 after David’s goal. Jessie Eldridge was down low and her centering pass attempt ended up being deflected in by a Montreal defender to make it 3-1.
Early in the second period, Montreal was given every opportunity to increase their lead. They had three straight power plays, and five through the first 30 minutes of the game but could not capitalize on any of the opportunities. The power play ended the game 0/6.
“We’re scoring five on five so, maybe we win the game 5 or 6-3 tonight instead of 4-3 with the power play goals, but at the end of the day, we scored four goals five on five. So we’re happy with that and we’ll continue to prep the way we prep for our power play minutes,” said Cheverie.
“I think we have to be more urgent on the powerplay,” said Poulin. “Obviously we have those chances, we have to bear down and bury them. I think we take it for granted a little bit as a group so I think for us our unit of five needs to be better next game. Those are the very important points in the game when we have a power play to manage to put one in and we did not do that tonight and we’re all aware of that so we have to be better and I think we have to be more urgent.”
New York, however, continued to make the most of their opportunities. With 5:32 left in the second period, Abby Roque deflected an Ella Shelton shot to make it 3-2 on another power play goal. In the final minute, on yet another power play, New York came agonizingly close to tying the game, but Desbiens made two big saves with an attacker right at her doorstep and the third attempt went just wide, hitting the side of the post and sliding away.
Poulin’s goal gave Montreal a 4-2 cushion, which was big because another New York power play ended with another Jessie Eldridge power play goal. Shelton’s shot was once again tipped in front, this time by Eldridge to make it 4-3. It was Eldridge’s sixth goal of the season, four of which have come against Montreal. New York’s power play went 3/5 on the night.
New York tried to get the equalizer with Schroeder pulled, but did not get much offence going with the extra attacker. Montreal wasn’t able to convert chances into the empty net, either, and the game ended 4-3. Desbiens made 25 saves in the win.
Montreal continues their road trip on Friday with a game in Toronto in what is a battle for first place. Toronto has won eight straight games, and has climbed from last place to second in the PWHL. Montreal will play a third game this week on Sunday at Place Bell against Ottawa.
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