In an impressive display, the Montreal Victoire secured their first Premier Women’s Hockey League (PWHL) title by defeating the Ottawa Charge 4-0 in the Walter Cup Finals on Wednesday night. Abby Roque led the charge with two goals, contributing to the decisive victory in Game 4 held in Ottawa, Ontario.
Ann-Renée Desbiens was solid in net, making 23 saves to keep Ottawa off the scoreboard. Maggie Flaherty and Lina Ljungblom each added a goal, further cementing the Victoire’s success in the series.
The series began with Montreal claiming two overtime wins at home, before suffering a 2-1 defeat in Ottawa on Monday. Notably, home teams had triumphed in the last five finals games until this decisive victory by Montreal.
Roque expressed immense pride in her team, highlighting the challenges they overcame during the playoffs. “The things we have battled through, it was out of this world the amount of heart on this team. I love everybody and I couldn’t be prouder,” Roque stated.
Historically, the Minnesota Frost had secured the first two league titles, defeating Ottawa in last year’s final series. This season, Montreal advanced by beating Minnesota in the semifinals.
Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney congratulated the Victoire on social media, remarking on the historic nature of the victory as the Cup returned to home soil for the first time.
Montreal’s captain, Marie-Philip Poulin, was named the playoff MVP. She shared the postseason lead with eight points, comprising two goals and six assists. Reflecting on the league’s journey, Poulin noted, “There was a group of women who came together to put this league together. Three years later it all comes together to win the Walter Cup. It feels good.”
Roque was instrumental in the game, opening the scoring in the second period after a deflection off Ottawa’s Rory Guilday’s stick. Later, Roque scored a short-handed goal in the third period, outmaneuvering goalie Gwyneth Philips with a backhand shot.
Despite taking a penalty, Montreal effectively killed penalties across the first two periods, displaying excellent defensive discipline. Ottawa, conversely, maintained a penalty-free game.
Flaherty extended Montreal’s lead to 3-0 with a powerful shot from the blue line into the top right corner with just over six minutes left. Ljungblom concluded the scoring following a turnover, sealing the victory with 4:16 remaining.