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ST. PAUL, MN (Could 7, 2026) – The Montréal Victoire scored two targets in a span of 24 seconds to stun the Minnesota Frost and earn a 2-1 win on Thursday night time at Grand On line casino Area in Recreation 3 of the PWHL Walter Cup Playoffs. Montréal’s first-ever lead in a semifinal sequence, 2-1, places them one win away from their first-ever finals and has the two-time defending champions dealing with elimination for the primary time because the 2024 postseason. Frost defender Sidney Morin struck first at 3:22 of the primary interval, ending a feed from Kendall Coyne Schofield and Lee Stecklein, with a five-hole shot to place Minnesota up 1-0. Former Frost defender Maggie Flaherty tied the sport within the second interval when she collected her personal rebound and scored on a wraparound at 4:36. Then, on the 5-minute mark, Hayley Scamurra—who assisted Flaherty’s aim—stole the puck within the nook, skated out to the faceoff dot, then turned and fired top-shelf for the winner. Minnesota restricted Montréal to only one shot on aim within the third interval however couldn’t remedy Ann-Renée Desbiens on the different finish, with the Victoire netminder incomes the win with 27 saves. The Frost had 17 photographs blocked by the Victoire, together with 9 within the last body, and the league’s finest energy play unit did not capitalize on its seven alternatives, together with three within the third interval. Maddie Rooney stood tall regardless of the loss, turning away 17 of 19. The groups return to motion tomorrow night time for Recreation 4 of the sequence.
QUOTES
Montréal Head Coach Kori Cheverie on the crew’s defensive play: “I believe we will be actually pleased with what we have introduced this 12 months and what we have been rising and growing, by way of taking satisfaction in protecting the puck out of our web. Definitely tonight, we needed to play with some desperation there. We all know that Minnesota is a extremely offensive crew, and so as to shut them down, all of us should be on the identical web page, and definitely, some desperation shot blocks come together with that.”
Victoire defender Maggie Flaherty on taking the delay of sport penalty she was assessed on the finish of the sport: “You by no means wish to toss it over the glass or take a penalty and put your crew six on 4. However our protection has been very robust this sequence and the entire season, so I had religion in my teammates that they may end out these final 18 or 19 seconds, and so they did. And it was a bit of nerve-wracking, however I had all the religion on this planet in my teammates.”
Frost Head Coach Ken Klee on his total ideas of the sport: “It was an excellent hockey sport, I assumed, each methods. They scored targets in back-to-back shifts in about – it felt like – 30 seconds. Unexpectedly, we blinked and we had been up [1-0] then down 2-1, however I cherished our resilience. I cherished how laborious we performed. Clearly, our energy play expects a number of themselves, and I do know they had been disenchanted and a bit of annoyed with not with the ability to capitalize, however we all know it’s going to be a decent sport. We had an important have a look at the tip to try to tie it up, and it’s only one sport. We’ve been right here earlier than. For us, we all know it’s a protracted sequence, and we simply should convey our greatest tomorrow night time.”
Frost ahead Taylor Heise on the distinction within the energy play not too long ago: “I believe you undergo ebbs and flows, and the quantity of photographs I had, certainly one of them needed to go in and that’s on me; I’ll take full accountability for that. I do suppose simply settling down and understanding it’s not a press state of affairs, it’s extra of a time to be free. I believe tomorrow’s a giant stress state of affairs, however the extra free we are able to play, the higher we’re. I believe we had been primary [in the power play] within the common season for a purpose, and the 2 teams now we have are dynamic. And I believe the extra we are able to come up tomorrow with an open mindset and understand it’s anybody’s sport and simply perceive the facility play shouldn’t be a time to grip your stick laborious, however simply go on the market and have enjoyable.”
NOTABLES
Montréal received in regulation for the primary time in 10 all-time playoff video games, received on the street for the primary time in 4 all-time playoff video games, and lead a sequence for the primary time in three postseason appearances. The Victoire have received all three video games at Grand On line casino Area this season and 6 of eight all-time.
Minnesota misplaced the third sport of a playoff sequence for the primary time in three seasons (4-1) and suffered simply their second loss in 9 all-time playoff video games at Grand On line casino Area (7-2). The final Frost loss at residence within the playoffs was Recreation 4 of the inaugural season finals towards Boston, 1-0 in double-overtime, snapping a streak of 4 straight playoff residence wins. This was the primary time within the final eight Frost playoff video games the consequence was determined in regulation.
In PWHL playoff historical past, the crew that wins Recreation 3 of a sequence tied 1-1 has gone on to win all 4 sequence. Minnesota was a part of three of these occurrences, defeating Boston in 5 video games following a 1-1 tie within the inaugural season finals, and Toronto and Ottawa every in 4 video games final season. Montréal misplaced Recreation 3 of their 2025 semifinals to Ottawa and was eradicated in 4 video games.
The Frost scored inside the sport’s first 5 minutes for the eleventh time this season after tying Toronto for the league lead with 10 such cases within the common season. The Victoire allowed solely three targets within the first 5 minutes all through the complete common season.
The Victoire’s two targets in 24 seconds set a PWHL playoff file for the quickest two targets by a crew.
Previous to tonight, Minnesota was undefeated in 12 video games when main after the primary interval, together with their Recreation 1 victory. Montréal was 2-4 when trailing after the opening body, with each wins earned when down by one, together with a 4-3 shootout towards Toronto on March 3 and a 3-1 regulation win towards New York on March 28.
The Victoire carried simply their fourth regulation lead in 10 all-time playoff video games. They most not too long ago held a lead for 53:01 in Recreation 2 towards Ottawa on Could 11, 2025, earlier than finally relinquishing the two-goal lead and profitable in extra time.
Minnesota’s offense has been restricted to 1 aim in two video games, the crew’s lowest whole since struggling consecutive shutout losses to Toronto to open the 2024 playoffs.
Montréal was held to 1 shot on aim within the third interval for the primary time in crew historical past, the crew’s lowest whole in 94 video games.
Maggie Flaherty, a local of Lakeville, MN, recorded her second aim and level in her nineteenth profession postseason sport and first as a member of the visiting crew at Grand On line casino Area. The 2-time Walter Cup champion beforehand scored the game-winning aim for Minnesota on Could 13, 2024, in Recreation 3 of their inaugural semifinal sequence towards Toronto. She led the Victoire with 4 photographs on aim tonight.
Hayley Scamurra notched her first-ever multi-point postseason sport with a aim and an help, doubling her profession playoff manufacturing in a span of 24 seconds. All three of her profession playoff factors have been tallied towards Minnesota, first scoring the opening aim in Recreation 2 of the 2025 semifinals for the Sceptres. The U.S. Olympic gold medalist had a career-high three multi-point performances in her first common season with the Victoire, with three of her 9 targets counting as game-winners, together with tonight.
Ann-Renée Desbiens earned her second consecutive playoff win, double her lone victory throughout Montréal’s first two playoff seasons. She recorded her tenth sport of the season with not less than 25 saves, profitable seven such video games, and has now held the Frost to 1 aim in 164:02. Her goals-against common of 1.58 and save proportion of .937 rank third and second, respectively, amongst playoff goaltenders.
Sidney Morin recorded her second aim in three video games of the sequence, following her shorthanded tally in Recreation 1, after enjoying 30 regular-season video games with no aim for the Frost. Her two playoff factors match the 2 assists she recorded in eight video games through the inaugural playoffs with Boston. The defender had beforehand been on the profitable aspect of all three video games in extra time when she finds the scoresheet.
Kendall Coyne Schofield reached double digit factors for her postseason profession with a main helper, making her the fifth participant to attain the feat in league historical past. The Minnesota captain is midway to her career-high postseason output of 4 factors, tallied in consecutive Walter Cup campaigns (2G, 2A in 2025 and 1G, 3A in 2025).
Lee Stecklein turned the PWHL’s new postseason chief for scoring amongst defenders together with her thirteenth level in 21 profession video games (4G, 9A), surpassing former Frost Sophie Jaques who had 12 factors in 18 video games (4G, 8A). The Frost alternate captain has 10 assists in her final 10 video games since Apr. 1.
Maddie Rooney suffered her second-straight postseason loss and simply her fourth in 13 profession playoff begins. She has allowed two or fewer targets towards in 9 of her profession postseason begins, with a file of 6-3 in such video games. Tonight marked the primary time she has confronted fewer than 20 photographs within the postseason since Could 15, 2024 within the Frost’s 1-0 double-overtime win over Toronto in Recreation 3.
Grace Zumwinkle led all skaters with 5 photographs on aim after ending second on the Frost through the common season with 82 in 29 video games.
Kelly Pannek now leads the playoffs with 13 photographs on aim after producing 4 tonight, and 44 faceoff wins after going 12-for-23 within the contest.
Britta Curl-Salemme returned from her one-game suspension and went 11-for-16 within the faceoff circle.
Natalie Buchbinder was left off the Frost lineup for a 3rd straight sport, listed as day-to-day with a lower-body damage.
THREE STARS
1. Ann-Renée Desbiens (MTL) 27/28 SV
2. Hayley Scamurra (MTL) 1G, 1A
3. Sidney Morin (MIN) 1G
NEXT GAME
Recreation 4: Friday, Could 8 at Minnesota at 8:30 p.m. ET / 7:30 p.m. CT
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