Nicole Gosling's overtime goal gives Victoire 3-2 PWHL victory over Fleet

Montreal Victoire goaltender Ann-Renee Desbiens (35) watches teammate Amanda Boulier (44) block a shot while Boston Fleet's Hannah Brandt (20) stands in front of the net during first period PWHL hockey action in Laval, Que., on Friday, April 17, 2026. (Christopher Katsarov/The Canadian Press)

LAVAL — Nicole Gosling scored 38 seconds into overtime to lead the Montreal Victoire to a 3-2 win over the Boston Fleet at Place Bell on Friday night.

Gosling took the puck at the top of the circle and blasted a wrist shot past Boston goaltender Abbey Levy early in the extra period. Montreal opened overtime with a full two-minute power play after the Fleet was given a penalty at the end of regulation.

Jade Downie-Landry and Kaitlin Willoughby scored in regulation for Montreal (16-5-2-5). Ann-Renee Desbiens made 26 saves.

The win extended Montreal’s points streak to 16 games. The Victoire has won 14 of those games with two overtime losses.

Jessie Eldridge and Daniela Pejsova scored for the Fleet (15-5-3-5). Abbey Levy made 28 saves in her third start of the season.

With the win, the Victoire clinched home-ice advantage for the first round of the Professional Women’s Hockey League playoffs, securing a top-two finish.

The game was a matchup between the PWHL’s two top teams. Montreal extended its lead atop the standings to two points with both having two regular-season games remaining.

Downie-Landry scored her second goal of the season 2:59 into the game. Daniela Pejsova’s pass was tipped by Montreal forward Alexandra Labelle and went right into the slot, where Downie-Landry poked the puck through the legs of Levy.

Willoughby made it 2-0 just over three minutes later. She took a Lina Ljungblom rebound and tucked it into the open far side of the net for her third goal of the year.

Montreal continued to push to extend the lead, outshooting Boston 12-2 to start the second period. But Levy was solid in goal and kept the game close.

Boston closed the period outshooting Montreal 9-0 and grabbed momentum. The Fleet pulled to within 2-1 when Eldridge tipped a Megan Keller past Desbiens with 1:09 remaining in the second.

The Fleet tied the game with 10:19 left in the third period when Pejsova walked in from the left circle and fired a shot past Desbiens.

Aerin Frankel, Boston’s No. 1 goaltender and a candidate for Most Valuable Player honours, was not dressed for the game.

Takeaways

Victoire: Montreal had another multi-goal lead at home against Boston, and once again was unable to hold it until the end of the game. This time however, the Victoire was able to win in overtime.

Fleet: Abbey Levy got a surprise start, and after a tough start of no fault of her own, kept her team in it with several big saves which proved big when the team came back to tie the game and force overtime.

Key moment

Jessie Eldridge’s goal late in the second made it a one-goal game, allowing Boston to tie the game midway through the third.

Key stat

Eldridge has six goals in nine games since joining Boston in a trade from the Seattle Torrent, including five in her last four games.

Up next

Victoire: Visits the Vancouver Goldeneyes on Tuesday

Fleet: Hosts the Ottawa Charge on Wednesday

This report by The Canadian Press was first published April 17, 2026.

Jared Book, The Canadian Press