With 17,324 fans on their feet, the Victoire snapped the Fleet’s four-game winning streak in a thrilling 3-2 showdown, fueled by Kati Tabin’s outstanding performance in the second installment of the Duel au sommet
A total 17,324 Montreal hockey fans flooded the Bell Centre for the second installment of the Duel au sommet.
The home crowd was treated to overtime action, and nearly blew the roof off of the arena when Montreal Victoire forward Laura Stacey scored the game-winning goal with 16.3 seconds remaining. Montreal walked away with a 3-2 win, snapping the Boston Fleet’s four-game winning streak.
“We said it in the room after the game,” shared Victoire head coach Kori Cheverie when talking about dealing with the pressures and bright lights that an NHL venue brings. “We have to take this moment and bank it, and remember it because we have to come back to this moment later on in the season. It’s really important for us to be able to perform and find a way [to win] in front of the amount of fans that were out there tonight.”
It was a momentous game for Montreal defender Kati Tabin, who scored two goals in the game. It not only marked her first mutli-goal game in the PWHL, but also marked her first season with more than one goal. Sidney Morin and Amanda Pelkey scored the two goals for Boston.
Tabin has only scored in big arenas in 2024-25, with her registering the other marker at the Videotron Centre in Quebec City as part of the Takeover Tour.
“I was just trying to get pucks on net,” Tabin said humbly post-game. She was then asked about her lively interaction with Cheverie after scoring the second goal.
The game was quite the battle between the pipes. The contest resembled the opening round of the PWHL playoffs last year between the two teams. It was the seventh instance in ten games between bean town and Montreal where the match was settled after regulation.
Aerin Frankel shined in goal for Boston despite the loss. She stopped 27 of the 30 shots she faced and Montreal acknowledged her vision as one of her biggest strengths.
“Our game plan was to get pucks on net, take away [Frankel’s] eyes,” said Stacey. “Because if she sees it, she’s generally going to stop it.”
Ann-Renée Desbiens was impressive for Montreal, albeit with 13 less shots faced compared to her Boston counterpart. The Victoire held their opponents to zero shots in the third frame, but it was in overtime where Desbiens wowed.
“Ann-Renée is obviously paramount for us,” said Cheverie. The bench boss then used the example of Desbiens shutting down Fleet forward Jamie Lee Rattray’s breakaway attempt in overtime. “I saw her come out of her net and challenge, and I knew that she was dialed in.”
Montreal now augments their standing points total to 39, with a first-placed record of 10-4-1-4.
The Victoire will return to Place Bell, their regular arena, on Tuesday, March. 4. The team will battle against the fourth placed Minnesota Frost. The puck is set to drop at 7 p.m. EST.