Victoire hope experience will end playoff woes in semifinal against Frost

Minnesota Frost's Abby Hustler (74) takes a shot on Montreal Victoire goaltender Ann-Renee Desbiens (35) during second period PWHL hockey action in Laval, Que., Sunday, March 1, 2026. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Graham Hughes

MONTREAL — The Montréal Victoire won their second straight regular season title in the Professional Women’s Hockey League but with that comes great responsibility: choosing their first-round opponent.

Last year, Montreal’s decision to choose third-place Ottawa over fourth-place Minnesota backfired when the Charge won the best-of-five semifinal in three games before losing to the Frost in the Walter Cup final.

This year, the Victoire chose the two-time defending Frost, who finished third in the regular season ahead of the Charge.

The series will get underway on Saturday in Laval, Que., and features the highest-scoring team in league history against the team that allowed a record low for goals in a season.

Montreal looking to take the next step

The Victoire and Frost are the only two teams to make the PWHL playoffs in all three seasons of the league’s existence. While the Frost have yet to lose a playoff series, the Victoire have yet to win one despite having home ice in both series. Montreal’s 1-6 playoff record is the worst in the league.

This year, the team focused on experience in free agency. They brought in two-time Walter Cup champion defender Maggie Flaherty, defender Jessica DiGirolamo, who played in the 2024 final with the Boston Fleet and forward Shiann Darkangelo, who played in the 2025 final with Ottawa. They also added U.S. Olympic gold medallist forward Hayley Scamurra.

“They know the stressors of what a playoff run can look like and how you need to bring the team in in those moments,” said Montreal head coach Kori Cheverie.

The Montreal core group has players with professional and international experience, but the grind in the PWHL playoffs is a different intensity.

“It was important to us to have players who have experienced different championship pedigree, who have gone the distance and even people who have lost in those moments,” Cheverie said.

Montreal captain Marie-Philip Poulin enters the playoffs after overcoming a turbulent two months. She injured her right knee playing for Canada at the Olympics in February, missing two tournament games and the first game the Victoire played after the break.

She played three games after, earning a point in each, before reinjuring the knee and being placed on long-term injured reserve. She missed 10 games before returning in the final game of the regular season.

After the disappointment of a Canada’s loss to the U.S. in the Olympic final and early exits in the last two PWHL seasons, she wants to earn her way back to the top.

“It’s at the top of the list,” she said of a Walter Cup win. “The first two years in the league, to finish near the top of the standings, never making it past the first round, we’re hungry.”

Minnesota looking for a three-peat

Minnesota is used to overcoming adversity in the playoffs. The Frost lost five straight games to close out the regular season in 2024 and then lost the first two semifinal games to the Toronto Sceptres. But they came back to win the series in five games and eventually taking the title.

Last year, they clinched the final playoff spot on the final day of the regular season and defended their crown.

“They’re a really well-organized team,” said Scamurra, who faced the Frost in the post-season a year ago with the Sceptres. “They are like that in the regular season too, but it’s dialed up in the post-season.”

This year, they again have circumstances to overcome on their path to a three-peat.

Montreal swept the season series, winning two of the games in regulation and two in overtime. Since Dec. 19, the Frost have won only one game against a playoff team, going 1-5-3.

They are also on a four-game losing streak to close the regular season. It was the first time they had a spot clinched before the final day of the regular season.

“The outcome of the last four games are not what we wanted,” Frost captain Kendall Coyne Schofield said. “We did accomplish a lot in the last handful of games, looking at the things that we’re going to move forward with into the most important chapter of our season, which is playoffs.”

Minnesota’s 91 goals broke its own league record from a year ago. The Frost also had the top three scorers in the league and five of the top nine.

They struggled to score against Montreal this season, scoring three times in four games, getting shut out twice.

“It’s a new season,” said Frost head coach Ken Klee. “We’re excited to use our experience, it’s a great opportunity, a great challenge.”


This report by The Canadian Press was first published May 1, 2026.

Jared Book, The Canadian Press