Marie Poulin, the league’s top scorer, made an impressive start by netting two goals just 11 seconds into the game. This performance helped the Montreal Victory secure the top seed in the PWHL playoffs with a tight 3-2 win over the New York Siren.
Montreal, with a record of 11-8-7-3, benefited from Ottawa’s earlier victory against Toronto, which ended 2-1. Toronto had needed Ottawa to win and the New York team to defeat the Sceptres to claim the top spot.
On Sunday, Montreal will determine its first playoff opponent from either the third-seeded Ottawa or the defending champions, Minnesota, who hold the fourth seed. The second seed, Toronto, will compete against the other teams in the playoffs.
After Poulin’s early goals, Montreal’s Catherine Dubois extended the lead to 3-0 at 4:04 in the first period. Poulin later added to Victoire’s tally at 11:21 during the second period, finishing the game with 19 goals this season.
New York’s Sarah Fillier managed to score at 2:39 in the third period, and Alex Carpenter found the net with just 17 seconds remaining, providing a glimmer of hope for the Siren.
As New York pulled their goalie in a last-ditch effort, they pressed hard for another goal, but Montreal’s defense held strong, ultimately ending the game amid a tight scramble behind their net.
