Recreation 1: Saturday, Might 2, 2026 | 2 p.m. ET | Place Bell
WATCH LIVE: Prime Video (Canada), FOX 9+, Scripps Sports activities, PWHL YouTube & thepwhl.com (U.S. / Worldwide), Extra
EN: Eric Gallanty (Play-by-Play), Becky Kellar (Analyst), Rob Pizzo (Reporter);
FR: Frédéric Lord (Play-by-Play), Kathy Desjardins (Analyst), Alexandre Despatie (Studio Host), Ann-Sophie Bettez (Studio Analyst)
MINNESOTA FROST
13-3-5-9 | 50 PTS | 3RD PLACE
Prime Scorer: Kelly Pannek – 30 GP, 16-17-33 PTS
Particular Groups: PP 23.0% (1) | PK 78.3% (8)
MONTRÉAL VICTOIRE
16-6-2-6 | 62 PTS | 1ST PLACE
Prime Scorer: Abby Roque – 29 GP, 8-14-22 PTS
Particular Groups: PP 19.3% (2) | PK 91.8% (1)
2026 PWHL WALTER CUP PLAYOFFS: BEST-OF-FIVE SEMIFINAL SERIES
Recreation 1 at MTL (Might 2) | Recreation 2 at MTL (Might 5) | Recreation 3 at MIN (Might 7) | Recreation 4 at MIN (TBD) | Recreation 5 at MTL (TBD)
2025-26 SEASON SERIES: MONTRÉAL WON 10-2 IN POINTS (MTL LEADS 31-14 IN POINTS ALL-TIME)
Jan. 4 at MTL: 3-2 MTL (OT) | Jan. 21 at MIN: 2-1 MTL (OT) | Mar. 1 at MTL: 4-0 MTL | Mar. 25 at MIN: 3-0 MTL
WHAT YOU SHOULD KNOW
Montréal has received six straight video games towards Minnesota relationship again to final March (3-3-0-0), the longest win streak ever by a crew towards the Frost. Montréal was the one crew Minnesota didn’t beat within the common season, and Minnesota is the one crew Montréal didn’t lose towards. The Victoire have received 11 of the 15 all-time conferences (8-3-1-3) within the matchup together with 4 of 5 all-time at Place Bell.
Minnesota and Montréal are the one two groups to make the playoffs in all three PWHL seasons, however this would be the first time the groups have met within the postseason. Minnesota has received all 4 of its playoff collection however have misplaced the opening recreation every time. Montréal has received simply considered one of its seven all-time playoff video games, and it got here in quadruple additional time within the longest recreation in PWHL historical past at Place Bell on Might 11, 2025.
Montréal averaged 29.8 pictures on aim per recreation this season, the third highest in an everyday season in league historical past (2024 MIN – 30.6, 2024 OTT – 30.0). The Victoire additionally allowed simply 25.2 pictures on aim per recreation, the second lowest allowed in a season in league historical past (2024-25 MIN 24.2).
Minnesota enters the playoffs with 4 straight losses however the highest scoring offense in league historical past had a number of targets in every of its final six highway video games and in 13 of its 15 highway video games this season (tied with Boston). The one time that the Frost have failed to attain two or extra targets in a highway recreation since New Yr’s Day was at Montréal on March 1 (4-0 Victoire win).
Marie-Philip Poulin will hit the ice at Place Bell for the primary time since Mar. 15. The Victoire captain returned to motion final Saturday and prolonged her level streak to 5 video games (3G, 2A) relationship again to Jan. 28 earlier than the Olympic break. She led the common season collection with 5 factors (3G, 2A) regardless of solely taking part in three video games and scored two overtime-winning targets.
Kendall Coyne Schofield led Minnesota in head-to-head scoring with three factors (1G, 2A) regardless of solely taking part in in two of the 4 video games. The Frost captain led the PWHL with a plus-22 score this season and was considered one of three gamers to common a point-per-game or larger (Kelly Pannek and Taylor Heise).
Pannek led the PWHL with 16 targets and a file 33 factors however scored simply as soon as in 4 video games towards the Victoire. Heise completed second in PWHL scoring with 30 factors however was restricted to simply two assists within the season collection. She has essentially the most profession factors in PWHL playoff video games with 15 (6G, 9A).
Ann-Renée Desbiens tied for the league lead with a file 19 wins, 4 of which got here towards the Frost, together with two of her seven shutouts for a 0.73 goals-against common and .964 save share within the season collection. Her 1.11 GAA and .955 SV% this season are each league information.
The Frost have 16 gamers (together with reserves and LTIR) who’ve received the Walter Cup, together with 9 back-to-back champions. Québec native Élizabeth Giguère is the one Frost participant, excluding rookies, with none playoff expertise with 66 profession common season video games beneath her belt. Ahead Sam Cogan and defender Jincy Roese each logged postseason minutes towards the Frost with Toronto and Ottawa in 2024 and 2025, respectively, and Sidney Morin competed towards each Montréal and Minnesota in Boston’s run to the 2024 finals.
Maggie Flaherty received back-to-back Walter Cup titles with 16 video games of playoff expertise earlier than becoming a member of the Victoire. Jessica DiGirolamo (Boston) and Shiann Darkangelo (Ottawa) skilled postseason motion in Montréal on the visiting aspect, with the ahead scoring the successful aim in Recreation 1 final season at Place Bell, earlier than dealing with Minnesota within the finals. Maureen Murphy is Montréal’s all-time main playoff scorer with 5 factors (3G, 2A) in seven profession postseason video games.
Abby Roque will make her playoff debut after 83 profession common season video games. She set profession highs in all offensive classes in her first season with the Victoire. Québec native Jade Downie-Landry is one other former New York ahead poised for a playoff debut after 77 profession common season video games with out.
Nicole Gosling enters her first playoffs driving a six-game level streak for the Victoire (1G, 7A). The one different rookie with a six-game streak this season was fellow defender Kendall Cooper of the Frost, who led all rearguards with a file 17 assists.
WHAT THEY’RE SAYING
“We’re so excited to get to work. Playoffs are a particular time, and from what we all know, it will likely be a implausible collection. It’s going to take everybody and the whole lot we now have to win, and we’re excited and keen to try this.” – Frost ahead Taylor Heise
“We have been getting ready for the playoffs for a short while now, by way of how we need to taper the top of the 12 months, what it appears like, and what sort of knowledge are we giving the women and type of sprinkling it versus attempting to get the whole lot performed in a small time frame. With regards to additional time, all we are able to attempt to do is management regulation and do what we are able to to play our recreation within the first 60 minutes and hope that it is sufficient. If there’s additional time, I believe everyone in all departments realized loads from final 12 months.” – Victoire Head Coach Kori Cheverie
SATURDAY’S GAME: The 2026 PWHL Walter Cup Playoffs, introduced by SharkNinja, start this afternoon at Place Bell for first-place Montréal and third-place Minnesota in Recreation 1 of the best-of-five semifinal collection, the first-ever head-to-head playoff assembly between the groups. This would be the fifth PWHL playoff recreation all-time in Laval the place the Victoire are 1-3 however skated to a 9-2-1-0 file through the common season. The Frost had been 4-2-3-5 in opposing PWHL markets this season and went 5-5 on the highway throughout their two Walter Cup title runs. All the metropolis has playoff fever with the Victoire chasing the Walter Cup, the Montréal Canadiens going into Recreation 7 of the Stanley Cup Playoffs towards the Tampa Bay Lightning on Sunday, and the Laval Rocket tied 1-1 with the Toronto Marlies of their Calder Cup playoff collection. The Victoire led the PWHL in jersey gross sales this previous season and followers at Place Bell will probably be rocking the crew’s maroon and cream colors whereas DJ Bruno Berdnikoff creates a party-like ambiance. Jennifer Lee-Dupuy will carry out the nationwide anthems. Each groups will debut Walter Cup crests on their jerseys and helmet stickers that will probably be worn in the course of the postseason. At present’s referees are David Elford and Samantha Hiller, with linespersons Katie Glover and Dustin McCrank. That is the primary of two playoff video games on right this moment’s schedule with the Boston Fleet internet hosting the Ottawa Cost tonight at 7 p.m. ET. Following that recreation, followers can tune-in for dwell response of each outcomes with Jocks in Jills streaming on the league’s YouTube channel.