SAINT PAUL, MN (March 26, 2025) – Powered by Laura Stacey’s four-point night, the Montréal Victoire become the first team to clinch a berth in the PWHL Playoffs with a 4-1 win over the Minnesota Frost on Wednesday night at Xcel Energy Center. Victoire captain Marie-Philip Poulin opened the scoring with an assist from Stacey six minutes into the first period to give Montréal the lead heading into the first intermission. For the second straight game against Minnesota, Stacey found the twine within the first 30 seconds of the second period, this time just 24 seconds into the frame, to double Montréal’s lead. Minnesota responded less than three minutes later with a goal from Kelly Pannek to cut the deficit in half after two periods of play. Eight minutes into the final frame, Poulin scored her second goal of the game from Stacey, and Stacey added an insurance marker on the power play at 14:40 to cap the night’s offense. Elaine Chuli earned her fourth win of the season between the pipes for the Victoire turning aside 19 of 20 shots, including a highlight-reel save midway through the third period. Maddie Rooney stopped 13 of 17 shots on net for Minnesota in her 17th start of the season. With the win, Montréal snaps a season-high three-game losing streak. They remain in possession of the league’s top spot, three points ahead of second-place Toronto who won in regulation tonight over Boston, with four games left to play. Minnesota dropped their third straight game and remain in control of the league’s fourth and final playoff spot with four games remaining, just two points ahead of fifth-place Ottawa.
QUOTES
Victoire Head Coach Kori Cheverie on clinching a playoff spot: “It's nice for sure. It was definitely an objective of ours that we have now achieved. We can celebrate it and enjoy it tonight. And then for our group, we just continue to push forward and continue to focus on what's next, and that comes back to our process and how we want to approach each game.”
Montréal forward Laura Stacey on Elaine Chuli's spectacular save in the third period: “It was huge. I think at that point in the game, having your goaltender be able to back you up and make a save like that. All of us on the bench couldn't believe it. It's huge for our team. Every single person tonight was willing to do their job and go above and beyond. It was a huge save at a very important time that led to a lot of great things happening for us after, and that was a big one for us and for her, and we definitely let her know it.”
Minnesota Head Coach Ken Klee: “These are crucial points coming at the end of the year, we know that. We had a chance to tie the game 2-2, we had a backdoor play that we hit a one-timer and their goalie makes a good save, and then of course it goes the other way and they have a shot-rebound and they found a way to bury pucks. It was a good hockey game and we would like to create more chances, but I certainly liked that we kept it under 17 shots but at the end of the day it’s about points, and we have to figure out ways to get points.”
Minnesota forward Grace Zumwinkle on returning from her mid-season injury: “When you’re battling injuries, that’s the first time I've been out for a significant period of time and it’s more of a mental hurdle than it is necessarily a physical one. For myself coming back, it’s the pressure that you want to score and contribute and help your team win. At the end of the day, it’s just focusing on what makes you successful.”
NOTABLES
Montréal wins the season series over Minnesota 11-7 in points and clinches a playoff berth for the second consecutive season. They also won last season’s head-to-head 10-5 in points.
This was the Victoire’s league leading seventh win of the season when being outshot by their opponent. The Frost have outshot opponents a league-high 16 times this season.
Montréal has netted a power play goal in four consecutive games for the second time this season.
The Frost were held to one goal for the second straight game and have not scored more than twice in their last four games.
Laura Stacey became the fifth player in PWHL history and fourth this season to record a four-point performance (2G, 2A). Tonight marked the first multi-goal game of her career and fifth multi-point effort of the season to bring her point total to 20 in 23 games (10G, 10A), surpassing her 18-point total from the inaugural season (10G, 8A) in as many games. She is also tied for the league lead with four power play goals.
Stacey’s four points matches Boston’s Hilary Knight (3G, 1A) on Mar. 5, Toronto’s Hannah Miller (2G, 2A) on Feb. 19, Minnesota’s Claire Thompson (1G, 3A) on Dec. 19, and teammate Erin Ambrose (4A) on Apr. 18, 2024, last season.
Marie-Philip Poulin recorded her fourth multi-goal and second three-point performance of the campaign. The Victoire captain has goals in back-to-back games for the third time this season with her league-leading 16th and 17th markers tonight.
Kelly Pannek scored her third goal of the season, marking the end of a career-high 21-game goal drought since netting a pair against Ottawa on Dec. 19.
Brooke McQuigge recorded her fourth assist of the season and now has the league’s longest active point streak at five games, scoring 2G, 3A during this stretch. The Frost forward sits fifth among rookies in scoring with 11 points (7G, 4A) in 25 games.
Cayla Barnes tallied her 11th assist of the season and sits third among all rookies – and first among rookie defenders – in scoring with 13 points (2G, 11A) in 26 games. The Victoire first-round pick has points in back-to-back games for the fifth time this season.
Kristin O’Neill recorded her fourth assist of the season and is on the scoresheet with her first point in 19 games since Jan. 5 in Seattle.
Grace Zumwinkle tallied her third assist of the season and has points in back-to-back games for the second time this season.
Ann-Renée Desbiens was scratched from the Victoire lineup for the second straight game after suffering an injury Mar. 18 in Boston.
SCORESHEET RECAP
Montréal 1 1 2 - 4
Minnesota 0 1 0 - 1
1st Period-1, Montréal, Poulin 16 (Stacey), 5:50. Penalties-McQuigge Min (interference), 13:48.
2nd Period-2, Montréal, Stacey 9 (O'Neill), 0:24. 3, Minnesota, Pannek 3 (Zumwinkle, McQuigge), 4:09. Penalties-Wilgren Mtl (interference), 16:31.
3rd Period-4, Montréal, Poulin 17 (Stacey), 8:16. 5, Montréal, Stacey 10 (Barnes, Poulin), 14:40 (PP). Penalties-McQuigge Min (interference), 13:06; Křížová Min (delay of game), 14:23.
Shots on Goal-Montréal 4-5-8-17. Minnesota 7-7-6-20.
Power Play Opportunities-Montréal 1 / 3; Minnesota 0 / 1.
Goalies-Montréal, Chuli 4-4-0-1 (20 shots-19 saves). Minnesota, Rooney 8-6-1-2 (17 shots-13 saves).
A-6,330
THREE STARS
1. Marie-Philip Poulin (MTL) 2G, 1A
2. Laura Stacey (MTL) 2G, 2A
3. Kelly Pannek (MIN) 1G
STANDINGS
Montréal (11-6-3-6) – 48 PTS – 1st Place
Minnesota (7-5-4-10) - 35 PTS – 4th Place
UPCOMING SCHEDULES
Minnesota: Sunday, March 30 vs. Toronto at 12 p.m. CT
Montréal: Tuesday, April 1 vs. New York at 7 p.m. ET