On Black History Month night at the Prudential Center in Newark, the Montreal Victoire defeated the New York Sirens 4-1 in each team’s first PWHL regular season game since the Olympic break. Both teams came in to the game missing key players; the Sirens were missing defenseman Jincy Roese; the Victoire, Captain and leading scorer, Marie Philip-Poulin and defenseman Erin Ambrose.
One player to watch coming into tonight was the Victoire’s starting goalie, Ann-Renée Desbiens. Desbiens came into tonight’s game leading the PWHL in wins, goals-against-average (GAA) and save-percentage (SV%).
Despite two key players being out for the away team, Sirens fans inside ‘the Rock’ had to endure a rough opening 10 minutes where their team took blow after blow.
The first blow came five minutes into the opening period. The Victoire’s Dara Greig collected a loose puck in between the skates of an opposing player and shot quickly, beating Sirens goalie Kayle Osborne to the far side of the net.
Assists were given to Lina Ljungblom and Natalie Mlynkova and the Victoire had a 1-0 lead.
Then, one minute later, the second blow came from former Siren Jade Downie-Landry. She one-timed a centering pass from Montreal alternate captain Laura Stacey to give the Victoire a 2-0 lead. A secondary asssist went to Shiann Darkangelo.
Then at 10:08, matters got worse for the home team. After the Victoire wrapped the puck behind the Siren net, Osborne went to play it but when she got to it, Montreal’s Skylar Irving got to it as well and took the puck away from Osborne. With Osborne scrambling now to get back into her crease, Irving chipped the puck off Osborne’s backside and into the net, giving the visitors a commanding 3-0 lead.
Four minutes later, the Sirens had their first scoring chance of the game thwarted by Desbiens. Casey O’Brien’s centering pass to the front of the net connected with Sarah Fillier but her shot was stopped by Desbiens.
It was an exciting first period but after Victoire head coach Kori Cheverie called a timeout midway through the first, the Victoire looked much more defensively sound and although New York outshot Montreal 10 to five, they really limited the Sirens to low quality shots on goal.
Sirens Strike Back
Early in the second period, Montreal Canadian Olympian Katie Tabin ripped a shot from the point that took a deflection and landed on the pad of Osborne, however Osborne was unable to control the rebound and the puck was poked in by Downie-Landry. However, the goal was called back due to goalie interference after a lengthy review by the on-ice officials.
With his team trailing 3-0 and narrowly avoiding giving up a fourth goal, New York head coach Greg Fargo pulled Osborne who had started nearly every game this season, in favor of Callie Shanahan.
Call it the luck of the Irish because two minutes after Shanahan came in to the game, the Sirens then capitalized on their first power play with Casey O’Brien’s fifth goal of the season. O’Brien’s tally was assisted by Sirens defenseman Maja Nylen-Persson and Sarah Fillier and pulled the Sirens within two of the lead (3-1).
A little more than halfway through the second, Sirens’ rookie Anne Cherkowski ripped a one-time snap shot from the left face-off circle but Desbiens was equal to the task. Then two minutes later, Desbiens made another spectacular save by stopping Fillier on a 2-on-1.
Montreal Ices Game in Third
Just 1:45 into the third period, New York’s Kristin O’Neill took a two-minute minor for tripping. The luck of the Irish went Montreal’s way on this power play, when Stacey ripped a slap shot from the point that struck the stick of Lina Ljungblom who was trying to get out of the way. The puck then flew into the air and fell behind Shanahan inside the net.
You’d be hard-pressed to find a luckier goal but they all count in the box score and the Victoire took a 4-1 lead with the best goaltender in the league between the pipes for the remainder of the game.
And they didn’t blink.
Halfway through the period, the Sirens had another odd-man rush. This time, Fillier dished over to O’Brien who was streaking towards the backdoor and the rookie’s tame shot was blockered aside by Desbiens.
New York’s final scoring chance came at 10:46 when Fillier found Taylor Girard at the backdoor with a great pass but Desbiens came off her line and smothered the shot.
Despite outshooting the Victoire 35 to 22 and creating 16 scoring chances to the Victoire’s 12, the Sirens were unable to solve Desbiens tonight. Sirens star rookie forward Kristyna Kaltounkova led her team with five shots on goal, but none really threatened Desbiens.
Desbiens was named the first star for earning the win and making 34 saves. Her teammate Lina Ljungblom was named second star for posting a goal and an assist and Casey O’Brien came in at third star for scoring her team’s only goal of the game.
The Sirens will have a week to recuperate before taking on the first-place Boston Fleet on Thursday March 5.
