Marie-Philip Poulin and Laura Stacey both had two goals as the Montreal Victoire became the first PWHL team to clinch a playoff spot in the 2024-25 season after a 4-1 win over the Minnesota Frost at Xcel Energy Centre on Wednesday night.
Stacey also added two assists for a four point night. Elaine Chuli made 19 saves for her first win since the injury to Ann-Renée Desbiens. The regulation win puts Montreal at 48 points, three points ahead of the Toronto Sceptres, who beat the Boston Fleet in regulation on Wednesday night.
“It’s nice for sure,” said Cheverie about clinching a spot. “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.”
Montreal opened the scoring with a new (but old) top line leading the way. Kristin O’Neill was put on the left of Poulin and Stacey, which is how the team ended last season, but is not a combination that has been used so far this year.
Stacey poked the puck ahead into space allowing Poulin to win a race against Lee Stecklein. Poulin then had a breakaway and fired a shot past Maddie Rooney to give Montreal a 1-0 lead just 5:50 into the game.
VITESSE et PRÉCISON ??
SPEED and PRECISION pic.twitter.com/2AxgfiugkH
— x – Victoire de Montréal (@PWHL_Montreal) March 27, 2025
Early in the second period, Montreal struck again with their top line. This time O’Neill brought the puck to the front of the net where Stacey had the opportunity to put the puck into the open side of the net.
Toc toc ! Qui est là? Laura Stacey
Knock knock! Who’s there? Laura Stacey https://t.co/4SqM19WYIB pic.twitter.com/FISfnUt4NT
— x – Victoire de Montréal (@PWHL_Montreal) March 27, 2025
O’Neill has been the team’s second line centre for the entire season, but although she plays tough minutes and takes a lot of defensive zone faceoffs, her production was not there. Her assist on Stacey’s goal was her fifth point of the season and the first since January 5, ending an 18 game drought.