Shiann Darkangelo is entering her first PWHL season with the Montreal Victoire, but her name has been involved in rumours linking her to the team going back as far as the league’s first season when she was with the Boston Fleet.
In that season she would eventually be traded to the Ottawa Charge, where she spent a little over a season and helped defeat the Victoire in four games in the PWHL Semifinal. When she became a free agent, the Victoire targeted the 31-year old and made her a priority.
“It’s been incredible,” Darkangelo said. “I feel like I’m where I’m supposed to be.”
Despite Saturday’s 3-2 pre-season win being the first game Darkangelo played with the Victoire, she had an ‘A’ on her chest. It was a small window into how much respect she has from the leaders of this team. Without Marie-Philip Poulin, Erin Ambrose, and Laura Stacey in the lineup Amanda Boulier and Kati Tabin also had letters.
“It’s definitely a conversation that [General Manager Danièle Sauvageau] and I had and have been having for the past couple of years,” said Montreal head coach Kori Cheverie. “We knew the type of leadership that she could bring to the team. For us, it was an opportunity for a new player to show her voice, to lead by example, to do what she does.”
In the game, Darkangelo scored both Montreal goals in regulation, first on a shot from the slot. The second was on the power play as she drove the net to put a Tabin backdoor pass into the net. After one point in 24 games in the first PWHL season, she had eight goals and seven assists in 29 games last year. She isn’t going to be leading the offensive charge, but her strong forecheck and ability to read the play should provide some of the secondary scoring that the team desperately needs.
Darkangelo played with Maureen Murphy and Maya Labad in Saturday’s game, and Murphy and Darkangelo seemed to have some instant chemistry after being paired through the start of training camp.
Victoire pré-saison
— Victoire de Montréal (@PWHL_Montreal) November 16, 2025
Preseason W pic.twitter.com/DuTGN5VgZL
Cheverie has some tough decisions to make but what is encouraging is that even without Marie-Philip Poulin and Laura Stacey is that they had four legitimate PWHL centres, all with two years of PWHL experience: Darkangelo, Abby Roque, Jade Downie-Landry, and Alexandra Labelle.
They also added veteran depth on defence with Jessica DiGirolamo and Maggie Flaherty. On Saturday, it was DiGirolamo who scored the overtime winner.
The Victoire outshot Boston 42-15 in the win. Abbey Levy made 39 saves for the Fleet. Montreal split the game with third goaltender candidates Tricia Deguire (three saves on five shots) and Megan Warrener (10/10). Both goaltenders got an assist in the game.
“The coaching staff, we took a lot of time this summer to prioritize certain things that we believe will pay dividends immediately,” said Cheverie. “During camp, we stuck to those priorities, and tonight, the players were able to implement it right away, and so when that happens, you feel like this is great news and a great start, and so we just keep building from there.”
Montreal and Boston play another pre-season game on Monday afternoon before final rosters are due on Wednesday. The Victoire open the regular season on Sunday afternoon in Boston against the Fleet.
Victoire Lineup
Dara Greig – Abby Roque – Natalie Mlýnková
Maureen Murphy – Shiann Darkangelo – Maya Labad
Claire Vekich – Jade Downie-Landry – Hayley Scamurra
Catherine Dubois – Alexandra Labelle – Audrey-Anne Veillette
Kati Tabin – Nicole Gosling
Jessica DiGirolamo – Amanda Boulier
Maggie Flaherty – Kelly-Ann Nadeau
Tamara Giaquinto
Tricia Deguire
Megan Warrener
Did not dress: Ann-Renée Desbiens, Sandra Abstreiter, Erin Ambrose, Marie-Philip Poulin, Laura Stacey, Kaitlin Willoughby, Lina Ljungblom, Skylar Irving
