Laura Stacey scores in OT as Victoire hang on to beat Fleet

The Montreal Victoire were on the brink of a solid victory with a 2-0 lead and just 2:50 remaining in the third period against the Boston Fleet in a Professional Women’s Hockey League game at Place Bell. However, the game took an unexpected turn as the Fleet managed to score two quick goals in just 39 seconds, including a short-handed goal, forcing the game into overtime with 2:07 left on the clock.

Montreal’s head coach, Kori Cheverie, acknowledged the valuable lessons learned from the game, particularly by the players who were on the ice for the late goals. The tension was palpable as the game headed into overtime, but forward Laura Stacey came through with a clutch goal with 42.7 seconds left in the extra period, securing a 3-2 victory for the Victoire in front of a crowd of 8,812 fans.

Stacey’s game-winning goal, her 11th of the season, ensured that Montreal (11-7-3-8) would have home-ice advantage in the opening round of the playoffs. The team’s resilience and belief in each other were highlighted by Stacey, who emphasized the importance of staying composed and trusting in their abilities even in the face of adversity.

The game started with Montreal opening the scoring on a power play, with Jennifer Gardiner netting her fifth goal of the season. Boston’s goaltender, Klara Peslarova, put up a strong performance with 33 saves, but couldn’t prevent Montreal from extending their lead with Catherine Dubois’ goal in the third period.

Boston fought back with goals from Hannah Brandt and Hannah Bilka in the final minutes of regulation, forcing the game into overtime. Cheverie praised the team’s ability to refocus and regroup after the late goals, highlighting the importance of unity and determination in critical moments.

Stacey pointed out the significance of building on this win and using it as motivation going forward, especially now that Montreal has secured home-ice advantage for the playoffs. Overtime has become a familiar scenario between these two teams, with the majority of their games needing extra time to determine a winner.

The depth scoring and contributions from secondary lines were crucial for Montreal in this game, with the second power-play unit stepping up when needed. Cheverie emphasized the importance of depth scoring in playoff success, while Stacey highlighted the impact of all players contributing to the team’s success.

Goalkeeper Ann-Renee Desbiens continued her stellar season with her league-leading 14th win, making 27 saves in her return to the lineup after an injury. Desbiens, who also represented Canada at the women’s world championship, leads all qualified goaltenders in goals-against average and save percentage.

Overall, the thrilling victory for the Montreal Victoire showcased their resilience, teamwork, and ability to overcome challenges, setting the stage for an exciting playoff run with home-ice advantage on their side.