Victoire chooses to play Frost in PWHL Walter Cup playoffs
The top team in the PWHL has made its decision.
On Sunday, the Montreal Victoire announced that the team has chosen to play the Minnesota Frost in the opening round of the 2026 Walter Cup Playoffs.
La Victoire de Montréal affrontera… The Montréal Victoire will face…
That means the other semifinal will see the Boston Fleet take on the Ottawa Charge.
The Victoire earned the right to choose their opponent by finishing in first place at the end of the regular season for the second year in a row, beating out the Fleet on the final day of the schedule thanks to a victory over the Seattle Torrent.
Montreal had the choice between the bottom two seeds of the playoff picture – the Frost and Ottawa Charge. Last season, the Victoire elected to play Ottawa in the semifinals, but the plan backfired. They might’ve entered the postseason as favorites, but thanks to timely goals and sensational play from the eventual playoff MVP, Gwyneth Philips, Montreal lost out in a thrilling four-game series.
The Frost joined the Victoire as the only teams to make it to the postseason in each of the league’s first three seasons. For the first time, Minnesota finished above fourth in the league, ending the regular season third, 12 points back of Montreal. The Frost possesses the league’s best offense, as the team scored a league record 91 goals in the 30 games. They are led by Kelly Pannek, who earned the Points Leader and Top Goal Scorer awards after posting 16 goals and 33 points, a new PWHL record.
So far, in the PWHL’s short history, the No. 1 seed has faltered when it matters most. In 2024, Toronto chose to play Minnesota in the first round, but were knocked out in a series that went the full five games (though losing Natalie Spooner due to injury didn’t do them any favors).
The Victoire have struggled in the playoffs, despite finishing in the top two in the standings in their first two campaigns. In 2024, Montreal ran into another hot goaltender, Boston’s Aerin Frankel, suffering a stunning sweep.
The Victoire will open its semifinal series next Saturday, May 2. The playoffs kick off on Thursday, with the Fleet hosting the Charge.