Desbiens Delivers Shutout Performance on Bobblehead Night
The 8,018 fans packed into Place Bell in Laval on Wednesday night were treated to a special performance on Ann-Renée Desbiens bobblehead night. The Montreal Victoire goaltender turned aside all 22 shots she faced from the Toronto Sceptres, securing a decisive 3-0 victory for her team.
This marked Desbiens' ninth win of the season and came at a perfect time as she now shifts her focus to backstopping Team Canada at the upcoming Olympic Games. Her counterpart, Toronto's Raygan Kirk, made 28 saves on 31 shots in the losing effort.
Victoire's Offensive Surge Secures Crucial Points
Montreal's scoring opened at 16:33 of the first period when Natalie Mlynkova, who will represent the Czech Republic at the Olympics, backhanded a shot from the slot past Kirk. The Victoire then added two power-play goals in the second period, both coming off rebounds.
Marie-Philip Poulin found the back of the net at 14:25, followed by Shiann Darkangelo's marker at 18:06. These goals proved decisive in a game where Montreal's defensive structure and special teams execution made the difference.
Standings Implications and Olympic Connections
With this victory, Montreal has now won three consecutive games and sits third in the Professional Women's Hockey League standings with a 10-5 record. They trail the Minnesota Frost by just one point and league-leading Boston by three points, though Boston holds a game in hand.
Toronto, meanwhile, finds itself in seventh place in the eight-team league with a disappointing 5-11 record. The Sceptres have lost seven of their last eight games since defeating Montreal at the Bell Centre back on December 27th.
Head coach Kori Cheverie expressed satisfaction with her team's performance, particularly highlighting their defensive efforts. "I'm really satisfied with our defensive game," Cheverie said post-game. "I think leading the league in the least amount of goals against is something that we can be proud of, but probably something that not everybody would talk about. So that has been really a great spot for us, along with the depth."
Cheverie continued, "Being able to be hard to play against has been great. Our penalty kill has been great, and our power play has been going up and up. So overall, I'm pretty satisfied with the first 15 games."
Looking Ahead to Olympic Break and Beyond
The Olympic women's hockey tournament runs from February 5th to 19th, and nine Victoire players will be competing for five different countries. This includes five players who will represent Team Canada, adding extra significance to Montreal's strong performance heading into the break.
Montreal remains undefeated at Place Bell this season, with their only home loss coming against Toronto at the Bell Centre in late December. The Victoire will return to PWHL action on February 26th with a road game in New York, followed by a March 1st home matchup against the Minnesota Frost back in Laval.
This victory not only solidifies Montreal's position in the playoff race but also provides momentum as key players prepare to represent their countries on the international stage. The team's defensive excellence, highlighted by Desbiens' shutout performance, suggests they'll be a formidable opponent when league play resumes later next month.
