Poulin scores in triple OT, Victoire tie series with Frost
It took three overtimes, but the Montreal Victoire are back in the series.
Marie-Philip Poulin scored four minutes into the sixth period of Game 2 to give the Victoire a 1-0 win over the Minnesota Frost on Tuesday, tying up their best-of-five series at one game each.
Poulin’s goal came after Victoire forward Abby Roque fed a bounce pass off the boards to Laura Stacey, who entered the Frost zone and kicked it back to Roque, sending a cross-ice pass to the Montreal captain who one-timed it past Minnesota’s Maddie Rooney to win the game and tie the series.
CAPTAIN CLUTCH Marie-Philip Poulin strikes in triple overtime for @PWHL_Montreal, tying the series 1-1!
In front of more than 7,500 fans at a sold out Place Bell in Laval, Que., the two teams combined for 90 shots in a little over 150 minutes of action.
Montreal’s Ann-Renee Desbiens made 38 saves to get the shutout victory, while Maddie Rooney stopped 51 shots in a losing effort.
Poulin finished the night with eight shots, going 16 for 31 at the faceoff dot in a little under 34 minutes of ice time. Stacey and Dara Greig end up with five shots each, while defender Nicole Gosling led all Montreal skaters with 43:27 of ice time.
Frost forward Kelly Pannek had a team-leading eight shots in 35:08 of ice time, going 21/46 at the dot. Lee Stecklein led all skaters with 47:05 worth of ice time, with Sidney Morin logging in 42:06.
The Victoire outshot the Frost 13-9 in the opening frame, with Montreal unable to score on two power play opportunities following minor penalties from Mae Batherson and Abby Hustler.
Rooney made a highlight-reel save on a two-on-one opportunity just minutes into the game. Montreal’s Natalie Mlynkova dangled around Batherson and fed Shiann Darkangelo a pass in the slot, but Rooney stopped the scoring chance with a blocker save.
Maddie. Rooney.
The two game remained scoreless after two, with the Frost generating more chances in the second frame, outshooting the Victoire 13-9.
Montreal’s Maggie Flaherty was called for slashing midway through the period but Minnesota was unable to capitalize with the power play.
Rooney made another spectacular save with seconds left in the period, stopping a point shot from Poulin then sprawling to keep out a rebound chance from Kati Tabin to keep the game 0-0.
MADDIE ROONEY ARE YOU EVEN REAL??!!
A scoreless third period meant the two teams required overtime for a second straight game. Minnesota took the opening game on Saturday after Jincy Roese scored less than five minutes into the first — and only — overtime.
Hustler took her second penalty of the game midway through the first overtime, but Minnesota was able to kill off the Montreal power play.
The first OT solved nothing, and a second overtime accomplished just as much, although Flaherty nearly ended it for Montreal with a point shot, only to find the crossbar.
It was 4:02 into the third overtime that Poulin buried a one-timer past Rooney to get the win.
Frost forward Britta Curl-Salemme was suspended from Game 2 after delivering a high hit on Victoire forward Kaitlin Willoughby.
Check out PWHL playoff hub here
Read Daily Faceoff’s Game 1 recap here
Read Tyler Kuehl’s Game 1 and Game 2 recaps of the series between the Boston Fleet and Ottawa Charge