Victoire Vibe Vol. 2.1

Four games into the season, the Montréal Victoire enter the holiday break at third in the standings after earning the team’s first ever win against Toronto.

Montréal played three games in one week wayyy back from November 30 through December 6, picking up a regulation win, a shootout win, and a regulation loss. None of the Victoire’s European players traveled during the international break, which allowed the team to hone in on some issues such as breakouts. There are still bugs to be worked out, but their efforts were enough to overcome a Sceptres team that is still struggling to score more goals than they allow without 2024 MVP Natalie Spooner.

What isn’t working?

Easy question, the power play. The power play is not working.

Last season, Montréal’s power play struggled to score for the first half of the season and enjoyed middling success later on. Nothing seemed to have changed in the Victoire’s first three games, as the team went a measly 2-for-14 with the advantage and allowed a jailbreak goal. After the extra time afforded by the international break, the top power play unit came back looking exactly the same, failing to capitalize in nearly four minutes of an extended advantage against Toronto.

The top unit and their tactics are mostly unchanged from last season: the leadership group, with the addition of either Claire Dalton or Maureen Murphy, passes the puck around the outside, occasionally utilizing a bumper player, until one of Marie-Philip Poulin, Laura Stacey, or Erin Ambrose are set up for a one-timer from the circle or the point. They seem to be playing the tactic of tiring out the defense, but the lack of movement or deviation means the penalty killers don’t really bite and just collapse on the goal, which also helps them block all the shots from the outside. It looks like a passing drill and a waste of this unit’s lion’s share of the power play time. 

The team’s revamped second unit is primarily first-year Victoire players: Lina Ljungblom, Jennifer Gardiner, Abby Boreen, Cayla Barnes, and Anna Kjellbin take part, with Mikyla Grant-Mentis and Dalton cycling in. This unit is a lot less rigid than the veterans. They’re more creative, more mobile, and their shots come from a variety of places. These players are less familiar with each other than the Team Canada top unit, but they showed improvement after the international break, even with their limited usage during games. There’s promise here that I’m just not seeing in the strategically stagnant top unit.

The power play was the difference in the Victoire’s first game against Ottawa: they eked out a shootout win after going 2-for-7 on the power play. Capitalizing on any of their other five opportunities would have earned the Victoire a valuable standings point and denied one to the Charge.

Against the Sceptres’ league-worst penalty kill, Montréal’s inability to score on a five-minute power play was again the reason they failed to end the game in regulation. As it is, the Victoire had to rely on one of their Ultimate Attacks– a Laura Stacey breakaway– to close out the overtime win. That’s another standings point that they may want back later.

What is working?

At even strength, there’s been a lot to like. The Victoire’s game-breakers in Poulin and Stacey have already proven their immense value this season, with a solo effort shorthanded goal and an OT winner, respectively. New additions like Boreen and Barnes have shown off deadly skill and creativity that complements and enhances the rest of the lineup. For example, this goal from Boreen that Laura Stacey called "sick" after the game.

Drawing into the lineup after the first game, the mobile bulldozer named Catherine Dubois has been a shutdown machine, more than showing off the value she brings to this roster. The third line crunchy-and-crafty combo of Alexandra Labelle and Mikyla Grant-Mentis has looked dangerous, facilitating three goals in four games and tying for team lead in plus/minus. 

On defense, Katie Tabin has flashed her hockey IQ on offence and Amanda Boulier has looked in top-form. The most interesting development for me is that of fifth-round draft pick Anna Wilgren, who has seen her playing time more than double from the first game to the fourth as the team’s seventh defender. She’s calm, savvy, and athletic. I want to see more of her.

Just like last year, the team has tried out a number of wingers on the top line, looking for the best match with Poulin and Stacey. Ljungblom, Grant-Mentis, Boreen, and Kristin O’Neill rotated in during the first three games, with Jennifer Gardiner taking her turn against Toronto. To my eye, Gardiner looked like the best fit, but she didn’t last the whole game in that position, as Head Coach Kori Cheverie continues to mix lines thoroughly throughout the games. We’ll have to see who, if anyone, sticks on the wing of hockey’s Première Paire. 

In net, things are progressing the same as last year, too: Ann-Renée Desbiens started the Victoire’s first two games, earning a shootout win and a regulation loss. Elaine Chuli is tied for the league lead in Goals Against Average and is top three in save percentage after her regulation and overtime wins. Cheverie said after the team’s third game that she believes the Victoire have “the top goaltending in the league.” 

What’s next?

The Victoire will enjoy the holidays this week before travelling to Minnesota to play their fifth game, in what has to be the strangest start to a schedule in the PWHL this year. Abby Boreen and Clair Degeorge will battle their former team for the first time. Maybe the team will get to practice the power play before then, but perhaps they’ll relax and enjoy the holidays. They’ve earned it!