Ottawa 4 – Montreal 2 | Without Marie-Philip Poulin, no gain

(Laval) The loss of a player of the caliber of Marie-Philip Poulin would hurt any team. Montreal felt the effects somewhat on Sunday evening.

Montreal without Marie-Philip Poulin is like Inter Miami without Lionel Messi. Roland-Garros without Rafael Nadal. The US Open without Serena Williams. The show must go on. The show must continue. Except that without the irreplaceable star, it’s not the same.

The Quebec striker is injured. She had to forfeit Sunday’s game against Ottawa. His case will be evaluated daily. It should be noted that Marie-Philip Poulin has played a lot of hockey recently. His team just finished a stretch of four games in eight days, in three different cities. In addition, since the beginning of February, Poulin has participated in the activities of the National Hockey League All-Star game, as well as in three games of the Rivalry Series, between the Canadians and the Americans. And now we’re expecting her next month at the World Championship, which will precede the qualifiers for the Professional Women’s Hockey League (LPHF).

It’s not easy to replace the best player in the world. In fact, it’s impossible. No one within the team can replicate their dominance. I remind you that at the start of the season, Poulin was used not once, not twice, not three, but four times during the same shootout session. That says a lot about the confidence and expectations her head coach has in her.

Deprived of their teammate, the Montrealers played a more physical style of play than usual. Here, a big check. There, bickering after the whistle. Preparation for the series, explained Sarah Lefort. Several players tested the ill-defined limits of refereeing. Result: a match marked by 10 minor penalties – five on each side.

The kind of intense games in which Marie-Philip Poulin stands out.

His absence was felt. Especially in numerical superiority.

Yes, Laura Stacey scored an extra goal, on a point shot. Yes, Montreal reduced the gap to one goal at the end of the third period by replacing goalkeeper Ann-Renée Desbiens with an additional attacker. Mélodie Daoust pushed a return shot behind Emerance Maschmeyer, excellent for the Ottavians. But during the first four numerical advantages, the Montrealers struggled. Unfortunately, it was not better during the numerical inferiorities. Their opponents also scored two goals in these circumstances. Final score: 4-2 for the visitors, in front of a noisy and packed Place Bell.

The head coach of Montreal, Kori Cheverie, did not hide her dissatisfaction. At a press conference, even before the first question from journalists, she declared, in French: “We must learn from this. That’s all. »

“This week, we gave away several shorthanded goals that came from afar. We don’t get into the shooting lanes quickly enough, or we allow them to deflect the puck near the net. »

Kori Cheverie also bit her lip so as not to criticize the work of the referees – which she still did a little, by highlighting their poor communication.

After the grueling sprint of the last few days, the Montrealers will enjoy a week at home, before flying to Pittsburgh for a match on neutral territory next Sunday. That will leave Marie-Philip Poulin seven days to regain her health. “Whether she’s here or not, there’s work to be done,” said Kori Cheverie.

And what are the chances of seeing the captain in uniform during the next match?

“I am neither confident nor not confident. I’m somewhere in the middle. I try to stay as calm as possible, because I don’t know the answer right now. I don’t know when she will come back. We will continue to do what we have done with all our players since the start of the season. We want to ensure that they are healthy. This is the priority. We are taking the necessary precautions. It’s a long season. We don’t want to rush something like this or put a player in a position she should avoid. »