Victoire vs. Frost: Marie-Philip Poulin strikes again
Frankly, I should know better.
For almost 16 years, Marie-Philip Poulin has made a career of it. When the moment gets tough, she meets the moment. Since 2015, I have watched her at the professional level and obviously her international exploits are well known.
So when the Montreal Victoire were staring down a fourth regulation loss in a row, a stretch that saw them fall to last place in the league, she met the moment. First, a diving effort to tie the game midway through the third period.
Then, after Minnesota took the lead with 1:50 remaining, she made the pass to Abby Roque, who redirected it in the net with 28.7 seconds remaining.
(An aside: Roque deserves full credit for that goal. She was standing at the goal line, as close to the corner as she was to the net, and redirected the puck in from an absurd angle. It was part Sidney Crosby, as her head coach Kori Cheverie said, and part Cole Caufield, her former schoolmate at Wisconsin in the sense of ‘how did she score from there?’.)
Then in overtime, Poulin did Marie-Philip Poulin things. On a delayed penalty, she got the puck in open space skated into a dangerous area and unleashed a backhand that Maddie Rooney couldn’t react to. It would have been perfect placement on a forehand, never mind a backhand. But that’s just what she does.
RIGHT ON TIME 🚨
Marie-Philip Poulin (6) and Abby Roque (5) extend their points streak for a crazy @PWHL_Montreal win! pic.twitter.com/mCjPX36gjc
— PWHL (@thepwhlofficial) January 4, 2026
For years, I have joked with people covering women’s hockey that Poulin has a “quiet” (by her standards) start to the season, and by the time you look up at the leading scorers she’s right there. Eight points in eight games is anything but quiet, but there had yet to be a Poulin moment. That all changed on Sunday, and what do you know… Her three points now have her tied for the PWHL scoring lead.
Roque, by the way, is second and just one point back.
So when I called for a change to the top line just two days ago on this very website, I was worried about the Victoire relying too much on their top line. As it is, over the last four games, all eight goals they have scored have been with that line on the ice. However, I underestimated Poulin at my own peril.
Cheverie admitted after the game that she would like to see other lines get on the scoresheet, but said that they are doing a great job defending other lines, and the other three lines did generate chances on Sunday. The scoring will come – boosted by the return of Jade Downie-Landry and Lina Ljungblom, who had been out all season to this point. She also said that they have to be OK with the top line scoring because they’re not going to stop.
She’s right. I should have known better.
Notes
- The Victoire made several roster moves ahead of Sunday’s game. They activated Lina Ljungblom from Long Term Injured Reserve. To make room, they sent Kelly-Ann Nadeau back to the reserve roster. They then released F Claire Vekich from the reserve roster.
- Erin Ambrose missed the game with an illness, leaving the team with five defenders so they signed Tamara Giaquinto to a 10-day contract to replace her. Giaquinto made her PWHL debut.
Full Highlights
Standings
Montreal now has a week off before facing the Vancouver Goldeneyes in Quebec City on Sunday and they turn that around quickly with a game at home against Ottawa two days later.
