TORONTO – Montréal beat Toronto for the first time in PWHL history this afternoon, securing a 4-3 overtime win at Coca-Cola Coliseum. Toronto scored two quick goals at the end of the first period thanks to Jesse Compher and Sarah Nurse, but Montréal came back in the second with markers from Abby Boreen and Maureen Murphy. Sceptres rookie Izzy Daniel scored her first at home to take the lead back, but Lina Ljungblom brought the game back to even, 3-3, in the third with her first PWHL goal. The game went to extra time – a first this season for Toronto – where Victoire veteran Laura Stacey sealed the 4-3 win with a breakaway tally, getting the puck past Sceptres’ rookie Raygan Kirk in her first career start. Elaine Chuli got the win for the Victoire, her second of the season in her second start.
QUOTES
Montréal Victoire Head Coach Kori Cheverie: “It’s a nice regular season win. We can definitely build on that. I liked our game overall and we want to keep building on that.”
Cheverie on Abby Boreen‘s outstanding goal: “I think even she was surprised she scored that goal. She is such a skilled player. She’s great. We see her every day so it’s not a surprise to us. She also contributes a lot off the ice.”
Laura Stacey about the same goal: “I think everyone’s jaw on the bench dropped when Abby (Boreen) scored that goal. It was a matter of time. She puts the puck on the net so good things were bound to happen.”
Toronto Head Coach Troy Ryan on the penalty kill: “Some of it with this new rule [No Escape Rule], there’s some luck associated too because we had the right people on the ice, the people that are comfortable on penalty kills – that’s a key part. Also, the people that maybe aren’t regular penalty killers, they just did their job they needed to do, 10 or 15 seconds so we could get the right penalty kill people on the ice and that’s a big part of it.”
Sceptres goaltender Raygan Kirk on her first start: “It was amazing. I had a lot of fun and it’s really great, just as a goalie you just really want to get in there, get the feel of it, get the play and prove to yourself that you can play in this league. The staff and the fans – I think the support from [my teammates] even before the game, the messages I got when the lineup was sent out, even from Joce [Larocque] too, were huge for me. They really stepped up in front of me. I think the PK was phenomenal tonight; they’ll be a lot of bruises tomorrow morning, but I’m very appreciative of it for sure.”
NOTABLES
Montréal’s win is their first-ever against Toronto. In the PWHL’s inaugural season, they were 0-0-2-3 in the season series –– It was the only PWHL matchup last season in which the same team won every game.
Prior to Stacey’s game-winning-goal, the last time Montréal had the lead against Toronto was at 2:32 of third period of the first game between both teams back on January 20, 2024.
Toronto defender Renata Fast extended her season-opening point streak to five games (5A). She now sits tied for first in the league in assists (5), second in scoring among defenders (5), tied for fourth in league scoring, and alone atop team scoring.
Jessie Compher surpassed her inaugural regular-season goal total, scoring her second goal of the season this afternoon. Compher’s goal was followed by a Sarah Nurse tally just 42 seconds later – Nurse now sits tied for first in goals (3) in the league.
Victoire forward Maureen Murphy recorded her first goal––and point––of the season, in the second period. The game was Murphy’s second of the campaign.
Three additional Victoire skaters had their first points of the season: Catherine Dubois (1A), Amanda Boulier (1A), and Anna Kjellbin (1A).
Lina Ljungblom’s third period goal was her first PWHL point—she was selected in the inaugural PWHL draft in 12th round by Montréal and made her debut this season after signing a contract with the Victoire in the off-season.
Toronto captain Blayre Turnbull notched her first point of the season, recording the primary assist on Izzy Daniel’s second period tally. Daniel’s goal moves her into a tie for second in rookie goal scoring (2).
Abby Boreen (1G, 1A) became the first Montréal player with multiple goals so far this season (2), before Laura Stacey joined her, scoring her second of the season in overtime. Boreen leads the Victoire with four points (2G, 2A) through four games.
Stacey’s goal was the second-fastest overtime tally in PWHL history, scored 15 seconds into the extra frame. Toronto’s Sarah Nurse holds the record, notching the winner 13 seconds into overtime on Apr. 20, 2024 against Montréal. The goal was her first against Toronto – she has now scored against all five PWHL opponents.
Toronto goaltender Raygan Kirk made her first PWHL start, stopping 35 of 39 shots in the contest. Her 35 saves ties Ottawa’s Gwyneth Philips for most saves in a first PWHL start, set on Dec. 19 against Minnesota. She made her PWHL debut in Toronto’s previous game (Dec. 18 at New York), stopping all nine shots she faced in the third period after coming in to start the period as relief to starter Kristen Campbell.
The Sceptres scored the first goal of the game for the first time this season after surrendering the opening tally in each of their first four games.
Toronto has been outshot in four consecutive games, facing a total shot deficit of 136-97. In each of these matchups, they have allowed 30 or more shots on goal.
After entering the game with the sixth ranked penalty kill in the PWHL, the Sceptres killed off all four penalties against today, including a 5-minute major in the third period.
Erin Ambrose (MTL) led all players in ice-time, logging 25:14. Defender Allie Munroe logged 24:48, the most amongst all Toronto skaters. Both are season-highs for the defenders.
Stacey matched a personal PWHL-high with nine shots on goal, the most among all skaters in the game, and most in a single-game this season. She also recorded nine on Jan. 13, 2024, against Boston.
SCORESHEET RECAP
Montréal 0 2 1 1 – 4
Toronto 2 1 0 0 – 3
1st Period-1, Toronto, Compher 2 18:39. 2, Toronto, Nurse 3 (Fast), 19:21. Penalties-Gardiner Mtl (boarding), 3:40; Watts Tor (interference), 7:58; Turnbull Tor (hooking), 13:24.
2nd Period-3, Montréal, Boreen 2 (Dubois), 3:52. 4, Montréal, Murphy 1 (Boulier, Kjellbin), 10:09. 5, Toronto, Daniel 2 (Turnbull, Larocque), 15:26. Penalties-O’Neill Mtl (boarding), 11:06.
3rd Period-6, Montréal, Ljungblom 1 (O’Neill, Boreen), 12:51. Penalties-Maltais Tor (tripping), 3:59; MacKinnon Tor (major – check to the head, game misconduct), 5:18.
1st OT Period-7, Montréal, Stacey 2 0:15. Penalties-No Penalties
Shots on Goal-Montréal 14-14-10-1-39. Toronto 9-9-4-0-22.
Power Play Opportunities-Montréal 0 / 4; Toronto 0 / 2.
Goalies-Montréal, Chuli 2-0-0-0 (22 shots-19 saves). Toronto, Kirk 0-0-1-0 (39 shots-35 saves).
A-8,251
THREE STARS
1. Laura Stacey (MTL) 1G (GWG)
2. Elaine Chuli (MTL) 19S
3. Raygan Kirk (MTL) 35S
STANDINGS
Montréal (1-2-0-1) – 7 PTS – 3rd Place
Toronto (1-0-1-3) – 4 PTS – 5th Place (tied)
UPCOMING SCHEDULE
Toronto: Friday, December 27, vs. Boston at 7:00 p.m. ET
Montréal: Saturday, December 28, @ Minnesota at 2:00 p.m. ET
