Déjà Vu in Extended Overtime: Montreal Victoire Win Their First PWHL Playoff Game in Franchise History
The Montreal Victoire and Ottawa Charge break the record for longest game in PWHL history, set exactly one year prior, as Catherine Dubois' game winning goal ties the series 1-1.
One year after Montreal and Boston battled in a triple overtime PWHL playoff game, history repeated itself for the home team Montreal Victoire versus the Ottawa Charge.
The Victoire held a 2-0 lead with under five minutes remaining in the third period, but thanks to goals from Charge players Aneta Tejralová and Brianne Jenner, the game was sent to overtime to establish a winner. After 135:33 total minutes passed in the game, breaking the PWHL and women's professional single game record for duration, Catherine Dubois scored the game winning goal, lending her team its first ever PWHL playoff win, 3-2. The series is now tied 1-1.
Dubois' line combined for two of the Victoire's three goals, as Kristin O'Neill scored the opening goal off of a feed from linemate Kaitlin Willoughby.
'I'm so happy for Dubois, [O'Neill and Willoughby],' said Victoire head coach Kori Cheverie. 'They wore their hearts on their sleeves the entire game. For Dubois, she's such a fan favourite [...] To get rewarded for how hard they play, I'm really happy for them.'
Cheverie was also asked about the fact the record was broken exactly one year after the loss to Boston during the 2024 playoffs.
'I only heard that on the walk [to the press room],' Cheverie joked.
Both teams took strange means of staying fresh and avoiding cramps, including drinking pickle juice and taping mustard packets to the bench throughout the extended overtime periods.
'It was a fun experience for me,' said Charge forward Emily Clark. 'You hear these crazy stories for games like this. So, to be able to live it. And, honestly, [the mustard] went down easier than I thought it was going to.'
Four separate players played over 50 minutes in the game: Montreal's Erin Ambrose (58:09), Kati Tabin (54:04), Cayla Barnes (52:46), and Ottawa's Jocelyne Larocque (54:04).
Victoire starting goaltender Ann-Renée Desbiens cracked a joke in French to the media post-game, saying that she was happy the game started at 2 p.m. and not 7 p.m. like last year.
It was also a momentous bounce back game for Desbiens. After allowing three goals on 27 shots, the netminder stifled her opposition with a 63 save performance, ending the night with a save .969.
'I mean, she's amazing,' expressed Cheverie towards her starting goaltender. 'Even if we were to give up a grade-A quality chance, the conversation on the bench is like, 'Shake it off. That's why we have a good goalie. She's going to help us in those moments.''
'There was just a lot of pride with how our team showed up today compared to game one,' said Desbiens.
The series will now head to Ottawa knotted up at 1-1. Tuesday, May 13 will mark the first ever PWHL playoff game in the nation's capital. The puck is set to drop at 7 p.m.
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