ROESE NOTCHES FROST OVERTIME WINNER TO DEFEAT VICTOIRE 5-4 IN FIRST GAME OF PWHL WALTER CUP PLAYOFFS

Minnesota leads the best-of-five semifinal sequence 1-0

Highlights and Press Conferences accessible on Minnesota and Montréal YouTube channels  

LAVAL, QC (Might 2, 2026) – The primary-ever PWHL Walter Cup Playoffs assembly between the Montréal Victoire and Minnesota Frost was well worth the wait because the juggernauts went forwards and backwards in a intently contested 5-4 additional time victory for the visiting Frost, in entrance of 9,364 in attendance at Place Bell. Laura Stacey headlined motion with the PWHL’s first-ever postseason hat trick, tying the sport three completely different instances, as soon as within the second interval and twice within the third, with each third interval objectives coming on the energy play. Jincy Roese was Minnesota’s additional time hero, with her first-ever objective for the Frost coming 4 minutes and 30 seconds into the additional body. Minnesota went up 2-0 within the first interval with objectives from Katy Knoll and Kendall Coyne Schofield, however Montréal clawed again with second interval objectives from Shiann Darkangelo and Stacey. Nevertheless, the first two instances Montréal pulled even had been each short-lived with Grace Zumwinkle and Sidney Morin every scoring much less than one minute after Stacey’s first two equalizers, earlier than breaking via in additional time. With seven minor penalties assessed to Montréal, and 4 minors and one main handed to Minnesota, particular groups factored into 4 of the sport’s 9 objectives scored both with a participant benefit or shorthanded. Maddie Rooney turned away 21/25 photographs for her league-leading ninth profession playoff win, whereas Ann-Renée Desbiens took the loss, permitting 5 objectives on 29 photographs. The sequence continues Tuesday night time at Place Bell at 7 p.m. ET / 6 p.m. CT.

QUOTES 

Frost Head Coach Ken Klee on objectives that shortly comply with the opponent’s personal: “I simply assume it’s our gamers; our gamers battle arduous. They know that we’re going to have bumps. [Montréal] has good gamers – they’re going to attain objectives typically. Typically it’s us making errors or different instances it’s simply them making nice performs. I believe we know we’re going to play 60 minutes plus to be sure that we hopefully find yourself on the fitting facet, so I believe it’s simply their mindset. It’s a tribute to them; each one among our gamers for the way they react to it.”

Recreation-winning objective scorer Jincy Roese on how particular it’s to play for the Frost: “Becoming a member of the Frost, it’s actually been an honor. That is an awesome group of ladies, and it’s a privilege to be on this staff and to get to compete with them. I imply, the mindsets on this staff, the expertise, the abilities…to get to be a part of that, it’s actually a privilege of my profession.”

Victoire Head Coach Kori Cheverie: “I favored our resiliency. I favored our character to maintain coming again. I believe recognizing (our opponents) leads will not be going to work out in the long term, nevertheless it’s one sport and there are some issues we have to clear up, and we’ll go from there.”

Montréal alternate captain Laura Stacey: “We love taking part in in entrance of our followers. We did not win it for them. I believe each single one among us in that locker room needs to do it for ourselves and our staff, however we additionally wish to do it for the town and the followers. They present up night time in and night time out for us, to cheer us on, to carry us up. It was 2-0 and so they nonetheless believed in us. So why would not we consider in ourselves? Once you hear that noise once you cross the blue line, once you hear that noise after you rating otherwise you kill a penalty, it simply ignites the bench. It actually does. And we’re actually excited to be again right here to offer them one thing to cheer about on Tuesday.”

NOTABLES  

Minnesota gained the opening sport of a playoff sequence for the primary time in staff historical past after dropping their earlier 4 sequence openers.

The Frost snapped a four-game dropping streak that ended their common season and six-game head-to-head dropping streak in opposition to the Victoire, relationship again to March 2025, after dropping all 4 contests of the common season sequence. The Victoire have gained 11 of the 16 all-time conferences (8-3-2-3) within the matchup together with 4 of six all-time at Place Bell.

Minnesota’s final six playoff video games have been additional time selections with the staff bettering its all-time playoff file in additional time to 6-2.

5 of Montreal’s eight playoff video games in staff historical past have gone to additional time, dropping to 1-4 in these video games with at present’s loss.

Montréal has gained simply one of its eight all-time playoff video games, final coming out on prime after a quadruple additional time win at Place Bell on Might 11, 2025. Their playoff file at residence drops to 1-4 after posting a 9-2-1-0 file in Laval in the course of the common season.

Right this moment’s sport was the second highest scoring playoff contest in PWHL historical past with 9 mixed objectives. The file for many objectives by each groups in a playoff sport is 12 (Minnesota beat Toronto, 7-5, in Recreation 3 on Might 11, 2025).

The Victoire surrendered 5 objectives for the primary time in staff historical past, together with each common season and playoffs. They scored 4 objectives for the first time in staff playoff historical past and the eighth time in 2025-26.

The Frost have scored 5 or extra objectives eight instances in 2025-26.

The league’s prime two energy performs throughout the common season each transformed at present with the Victoire going 2-for-5 after posting a 19.3% success price in season, whereas the Frost went 1-for-5 after main the league with a 23.0% effectivity.

Jincy Roese turned the primary defender in PWHL playoff historical past to attain in additional time with her first profession playoff objective and first objective as a member of the Frost, after being restricted to simply 4:43 time on ice throughout one among Ottawa’s eight-game playoff run final season on account of damage. It was additionally the first additional time marker for the former Siren and Cost, whereas additionally counting as her first-ever sport winner.

Laura Stacey’s first-ever hat trick got here on a game-high six photographs on objective and was the first in PWHL playoff historical past. It tripled her playoff objective complete, after scoring one objective and one help in seven Victoire playoff video games throughout the 2024 and 2025 postseasons. The Montréal alternate captain’s 22 common season factors matched her profession excessive, whereas putting her throughout the prime 10 in PWHL scoring for the third consecutive season.

Grace Zumwinkle recorded her first ever multi-point playoff sport, reaching the again of the online for the second time in her postseason profession, and the primary time since Minnesota’s inaugural postseason. The Minnesota-native had a profession yr, with highs in all offensive classes (13G, 10A). Throughout the Frost’s three postseasons, the ahead has six factors in 19 video games.

Katy Knoll reached the again of the online within the opening sport in back-to-back postseasons, scoring in opposition to the Sceptres final season, and opening scoring this afternoon. The second yr ahead had 5 factors (2G, 3A) throughout eight Frost playoff video games final season.

Kendall Coyne Schofield turned the primary participant to attain in three consecutive postseasons together with her fourth profession playoff objective after recording 4 factors in every of the final two Walter Cup runs (2025 – 2G, 2A; 2024 – 1G, 3A). The Frost captain missed seven video games this common season, together with two in opposition to the Victoire, however tallied three factors in two video games in opposition to Montréal and ended only a level away from her profession excessive by averaging a degree per sport (12G, 11A).

Sidney Morin scored her first profession shorthanded objective and playoff objective in her ninth postseason sport and first with the Frost. The American defender scored a profession excessive three objectives in 30 common season video games this yr and returns to the playoffs for the primary time since tallying two assists in eight video games for Boston of their inaugural season playoff run.

Shiann Darkangelo recorded her first playoff level for the Victoire, and the second of her profession after scoring in Recreation 1 of final yr’s semifinals at Place Bell as a member of the Cost. The American ahead had eight factors (4G, 4A) throughout 30 video games for Montréal this common season.

Taylor Heise prolonged her lead in all-time PWHL postseason factors to 17 (6G, 11A) throughout 19 profession video games. The two helpers within the sequence opener matched her scoring line in opposition to Montréal throughout 4 common season video games this season.

Klára Hymlárová tallied her first profession multi-point sport, together with common season motion, with two assists this afternoon. The Czech Olympian is as much as seven factors (1G, 6A) in 9 profession playoff video games, simply three factors shy of her 10 (4G, 6A) in 58 profession common season video games with the Frost.

Kelly Pannek prolonged her level streak to a few video games with her second profession multi-point postseason effort, additionally recording two assists in final season’s Recreation 2 in opposition to the Sceptres. The 2025-26 PWHL scoring chief registered seven factors in 18 video games (2G, 5A) throughout the 2024 and 2025 playoffs.

Lee Stecklein picked up the place she left off final Might with her twelfth profession playoff level (4G, 8A) throughout 19 postseason video games. The Frost alternate captain led the league in playoff factors final season with eight (4G, 4A) throughout eight video games and is averaging a degree per sport during the last two postseasons.

Marie-Philip Poulin’s two assists each got here on Stacey objectives, the primary time the duo has ever mixed to attain within the postseason. It’s the second multi-point playoff efficiency from the Victoire captain, after she recorded a objective and an help in Recreation 3 of Montréal’s inaugural season playoff sequence in opposition to Boston. The league’s all-time main scorer is using a six-game level streak, with factors in each sport she’s performed since Jan. 28.

Abby Roque made her playoff debut after 83 profession common season video games, coming away with two assists. The Michigan-native had a profession yr throughout all offensive classes, tying Stacey for the staff lead in scoring with 22 factors (8G, 14A).

Nicole Gosling turned the second rookie to attain a 2026 playoff level together with her help this afternoon. The helper prolonged her level streak to seven straight video games (1G, 8A) relationship again to April 3, surpassing Poulin, Stacey, and a trio of Frost gamers for the longest within the league this season. Gosling ended her first common season tied on the prime of the PWHL leaderboard in rookie scoring amongst blue liners with 19 factors.

Erin Ambrose’s main help introduced the veteran defender to 4 factors, all helpers, throughout eight profession playoff video games. The Victoire alternate captain’s playoff season excessive is 2 factors throughout three video games set within the inaugural season versus Boston.

Lina Ljungblom tallied her first-ever playoff level with a main help on Montréal’s first objective. The Swedish ahead ended the common season with profession highs in all offensive classes (4G, 5A) in eight video games fewer than her earlier excessive of six factors (3G, 3A) in 29 video games final season.

Kati Tabin recorded her second profession help in her eighth playoff sport. The Canadian defender had a profession yr in her third season with Montréal, scoring 12 factors (2G, 10A) throughout all 30 common season video games.

Maddie Rooney’s 9 playoff wins are greater than every other netminder, having not recorded a postseason loss for the reason that inaugural season. Together with this afternoon, the Minnesota-born netminder has allowed 4 or extra objectives as soon as in every of her three postseasons. Throughout 11 playoff begins, Rooney holds a .930 save proportion and 1.65 goals-against common.

Ann-Renée Desbiens is tied with Ottawa’s Gwyneth Philips for probably the most playoff additional time losses of any PWHL netminder with 4. It’s the primary sport within the 2025-26 season the Canadian Olympic goaltender has given up greater than 4 objectives after main the league in GAA (1.11) and SV% (.955) this season.

Britta Curl-Salemme obtained a serious penalty and sport misconduct for an unlawful verify to the top on Kaitlin Willoughby at 19:12 of the second interval. Minnesota was the one staff with no main penalty in 2025-26.

Six Frost gamers made their playoff debut: defenders Brooke Becker and Kendall Cooper, and forwards Peyton Anderson, Élizabeth Giguère, Abby Hustler, and Vanessa Upson.

4 Victoire gamers made their playoff debut: defender Gosling, and forwards Skylar Irving, Natálie Mlýnková, and Roque.

Jessica DiGirolamo returned to the Victoire lineup after lacking the primary sport of her three-year PWHL profession.

Natalie Buchbinder was scratched from the Frost lineup for the primary time in three postseasons and is listed day-to-day with a lower-body damage.

THREE STARS  