(Laval) An old saying says that if you play with fire, you end up getting burned. We have to believe that the Montreal team is an expert in the art of avoiding flames, because it escaped again with victory on Saturday against Ottawa, even if it allowed more than 40 shots for the second time in as many matches.
To be honest, Montreal did not play like a team that ranks first in the general standings. The only one who played in such a way was still Ann-Renée Desbiens, solid – the word is weak – at the start of the season. It allowed Kori Cheverie’s team to win 2-1 in overtime. The winning goal was the work of Maureen Murphy.
“This goal will not happen if [Ann-Renée] doesn’t make more than 40 surreal saves,” said Murphy after the match, before adding, for Desbiens, at his side in the media room: “So, good job. »
PHOTO GRAHAM HUGHES, THE CANADIAN PRESS
Maureen Murphy scored the winning goal.
Imprecise passes, dropped pucks, long minutes in defensive territory… So many situations which meant that the Quebec goalkeeper received, once again, a significant volume of shots. This time, she turned away 43 of the 44 pucks directed her way. The crowd warmly thanked her during the break between the third period and overtime, when she appeared on the giant screen.
The 8,646 spectators – a record for a professional women’s hockey game in Canada – rose from their seats to give a well-deserved ovation to the one who, once again, kept her team in the match.
This story is one that repeats itself for the Montreal clan. Last week, against Toronto, he offered 39 shots against 24. Wednesday, against Minnesota, Elaine Chuli received 46 shots and blocked 45 of them, while Montreal directed 26 at the opposing goalie. On Saturday, the team shot 20 fewer times on net than Ottawa.
Considerable differences, in other words.
PHOTO GRAHAM HUGHES, THE CANADIAN PRESS
Marie-Philip Poulin collides with Ottawa goalkeeper Emerance Maschmeyer.
“Our goaltenders are good,” Cheverie repeated. I’m happy with that. Obviously you don’t want to give up that many shots in that many consecutive games, but we’re focusing on what we can to at least limit the Grade A chances in the slot. »
Desbiens, for his part, took no notice of it.
I wouldn’t say today’s 40 throws were necessarily difficult. They had very few rebounds, things that make the game a little more difficult on average. My team is excellent. We improve with each game, I have confidence that it will happen less and less often.
Ann-Renée Desbiens
“We knew at the draft that we had an offensive team, we knew that we would have to work on defense and that’s what we continue to do. But there is nothing that troubles us at present. It’s not extra pressure for us. »
The effort
The fact remains that Montreal always finds a way to get out of trouble; the team has only lost one game in regulation so far this season. It is on this anger that Cheverie insisted.
“We always find a way to win, even when things are tough, even when we get a ton of shots, even when we get in trouble with penalties. »
“For us, as a coaching staff and as an organization, we are very happy where we are right now,” she continued. Part of the process is learning how to play at this level and keep pucks out of the slot. […] Just because the shots were uneven doesn’t mean there wasn’t an effort. »
PHOTO GRAHAM HUGHES, THE CANADIAN PRESS
Kori Cheverie, in discussion with her players
It is clear that the team will, sooner or later, have to offer fewer shots to its opponents. Cheverie spoke of “details with the stick”. Maureen Murphy spoke more broadly about defensive zone coverage, which needs to be “better.”
Still, the team is in first place on the circuit.
“We have all the pieces to be the best team in the League and I have confidence that it will continue like this,” said Desbiens.
Mystery absence
On Friday, striker Tereza Vanišová was absent from training for a day of treatment. Head coach Kori Cheverie then told the media that she would play Saturday’s match. But now the attacker was placed on the absentee list before the match. Upper body ? Lower body ? Cheverie refused to come forward. “I don’t have an update right now, sorry,” she said. Vanišová’s absence benefited Catherine Dubois, who signed a second 10-day contract with the team; she played half the game on the first line, alongside Marie-Philip Poulin and Maureen Murphy.