Something has been happening with the Montreal team for four games.
Before the Women’s World Cup, Montreal had lost four consecutive games, including three without Marie-Philip Poulin in the lineup. Since the Canadians’ return from the World Cup, the team has won three of its four games, including Saturday’s game in Ottawa by a score of 2-0.
Not only are Poulin, Laura Stacey, Kristin O’Neill and Erin Ambrose operating at full capacity, the rest of the team also seems to be playing with more confidence, especially offensively.
During the last three games, head coach Kori Cheverie played a lot with her lines. Sometimes Stacey, O’Neill and Poulin were together, sometimes they were scattered. Saturday’s match, the penultimate duel of the regular season, could have allowed the coach to crystallize her combinations a little more.
While the Canadians were reunited on the first line, we found Claire Dalton, Maureen Murphy and Mikyla Grant-Mentis on the second. Grant-Mentis is one of those who has been surprising for a week, since the clash at the Bell Centre, she who creates a lot of plays for her teammates.
PHOTO ADRIAN WYLD, THE CANADIAN PRESS
Emerance Maschmeyer blocks Kristin O’Neill’s throw.
After a fast-paced but difficult first period for the Montreal team, these two trios completely changed the momentum in the second period, notably thanks to their forecheck. Stacey gave Montreal a 1-0 lead by scoring with one of her powerful one-timers.
In the third period, it was Ann-Renée Desbiens who stood up to allow Montreal to maintain its slim lead. In this single engagement, she blocked 21 pucks, while the Montrealers only shot 5 times.
It’s a first shutout for the Charlevoix native this season.
It was truly playoff hockey. It was physical, it was intense. They really wanted to do everything to put it in the net.
Ann-Renée Desbiens to the media present in Ottawa
A goal was denied to the Ottawa team for obstructing the goalkeeper – it was Desbiens herself who told her coach to contest the goal – then Maureen Murphy scored her 5e of the season thanks to a nice pass from Mélodie Daoust to make it 2-0 at the end of the match.
First row
While Ottawa came into this duel looking for a playoff spot, Montreal is fighting to finish in first place and choose its opponent for the first round. This victory allows the team to take temporary first place, with three more points than Toronto, but two more games played.
Once again, this meeting demonstrated one thing very clearly: when Poulin, Stacey, O’Neill and Ambrose go, everything goes. The four players were once again the most used on the Montreal side. Erin Ambrose alone spent more than 31 minutes on the ice…
PHOTO ADRIAN WYLD, THE CANADIAN PRESS
Erin Ambrose blocks a shot
For those who were wondering if the coach intended to rest her best players for the playoffs, the answer is no. We prioritize the first place within the coaching staff.
“You, ask them [de moins jouer] ! » exclaimed Kori Cheverie when asked about it last Wednesday, after the victory against New York in Verdun.
“That’s a conversation I don’t want to have.” We have to keep all our players ready [sharp]. […] I think it would be worse for them to rest them. We’ll see how it goes with the minutes, but I don’t think I’m going to tell Pou not to play. »
Either way, based on their performance on Saturday, the tank still looks full of fuel.
Montreal has only one game left in the regular season, next Saturday in Boston.
“I think every game from now on will be close,” Stacey said. It is going to be difficult. It won’t always be beautiful. […] Honestly, I have no idea how it will be possible to have even more intense games in the playoffs, because it’s already incredible. »
The draft will take place in Minnesota
The Professional Women’s Hockey League announced Saturday that the next game will take place in June in Minnesota. It will include seven rounds and 42 selections in total. Let’s remember that the first draft in the history of the circuit took place in Toronto. In June, the team that gets the first pick will be the one that has amassed the most “draft points” after being eliminated from the playoff race. Currently, only the New York team is out of the picture. Picks three through six will be determined based on the usual format, i.e. regular season rankings.