Vancouver Goldeneyes Edge Montreal Victoire in Thrilling 4-3 Finish
The Vancouver Goldeneyes secured a hard-fought 4-3 victory over the Montreal Victoire in Professional Women's Hockey League action on Tuesday night. The win marks a significant milestone for the expansion franchise, as they have now earned at least one point against every team in the PWHL during their inaugural season.
Offensive Firepower Leads to Early Dominance
Tereza Vanisova emerged as the offensive catalyst for Vancouver, contributing a goal and two assists to propel her team to an early advantage. Sarah Nurse opened the scoring with her eighth goal of the season, while Ashton Bell added a power play marker in the second period to extend the lead.
Claire Thompson's goal at 5:06 of the third period appeared to put the game out of reach, giving Vancouver a commanding 4-0 lead. Defender Sophie Jaques assisted on the play, recording her 50th career PWHL point in the process.
Montreal's Late Surge Falls Just Short
Facing elimination from playoff contention, the Goldeneyes demonstrated remarkable resilience as Montreal mounted a furious comeback. After pulling goaltender Sandra Abstreiter with over seven minutes remaining, the Victoire unleashed a three-goal barrage in just two minutes and forty-four seconds.
Hayley Scamurra completed the first hat trick of her PWHL career during this explosive stretch, cutting Vancouver's lead to a single goal. Nicole Gosling provided three assists on the scoring plays, while Erin Ambrose added two helpers to fuel the late rally.
Goaltending Duel Highlights Competitive Matchup
Vancouver netminder Kristen Campbell turned aside 25 of 28 shots to preserve the victory, including a crucial save on a short-handed breakaway by Montreal star Laura Stacey in the second period. Campbell's timely intervention with her stick knob prevented what could have been a momentum-shifting goal.
Montreal's Sandra Abstreiter made 14 saves before being pulled for the extra attacker, while league-leading goaltender Ann-Renee Desbiens did not dress for the contest. Desbiens currently leads the PWHL in both save percentage (.955) and goals-against average (1.12).
Playoff Implications and Season Finales
Despite the loss, Montreal has already secured their playoff position and continues to battle for first place in the standings, which would grant them the opportunity to select their semifinal opponent. The Victoire had previously dominated Vancouver in three meetings this season, outscoring them 8-2 collectively.
The Goldeneyes, though eliminated from postseason contention, are focused on accumulating draft order points through strong performances in their remaining games. This victory represents their first-ever win against Montreal after three previous defeats.
Key Statistics:
- Vancouver outshot Montreal 10-4 in the first period but couldn't solve Campbell early
- Scamurra's hat trick marked her first three-goal game in the PWHL
- The Goldeneyes have now earned points against all six PWHL opponents this season
Looking ahead, the Montreal Victoire will travel to face the Seattle Torrent on Saturday, while the Vancouver Goldeneyes conclude their inaugural season with a home matchup against the Minnesota Frost.
