Flaherty’s OT goal moves Victoire closer to title - BERITAJA

LAVAL – Maggie Flaherty saw 5 Ottawa Charge players headed toward the broadside boards, and made a beeline toward the slot screaming for Marie-Philip Poulin to get her the puck.

The walk from the Montreal Victoire captain, arsenic it often does, landed correct connected Flaherty’s portion and she one-timed the changeable complete the mitt of netminder Gwyneth Philips.

Flaherty’s 2nd extremity of the playoffs came 14:12 into overtime to springiness the Victoire a 2-1 triumph complete the Charge successful Game 2 of the Professional Women’s Hockey League’s Walter Cup last connected Saturday astatine Place Bell.

The triumph gives Montreal a 2-0 lead successful the best-of-five series. Ottawa will big Game 3 connected Monday arsenic the Charge look elimination for the first clip successful this post-season.

Turns out, though, that Flaherty whitethorn not person had to yell. Poulin, who leads the PWHL successful playoff scoring, said she saw her teammate retired of the area of her eye.

“She’s Pou,” said Victoire defender Kati Tabin, who besides scored for Montreal, erstwhile asked about really she made the play earlier adding that she has eyes successful the backmost of her head. Flaherty past added that she has eyes each about her head.

Sarah Wozniewicz scored for the Charge, who had a chance to triumph the crippled conscionable earlier the play went the different way. Alexa Vasko’s changeable was stopped by Ann-Renee Desbiens seconds earlier the winning goal. Desbiens made 20 saves connected the nighttime arsenic Montreal outshot Ottawa 29-21.

The Charge were unhappy pinch the overtime winner, emotion defender Emma Greco was tripped successful the protect area conscionable earlier Flaherty was wide open.

“At the extremity of the day, we about apt put excessively galore players successful toward the puck, but our net-front D is going to beryllium nett beforehand but if she gets her feet wiped retired from nether her correct earlier that play, it’s beautiful difficult to get backmost to wherever you request to be,” said Charge caput coach Carla McLeod.

Ottawa was held without a changeable for the first 8 minutes of the crippled but opened the scoring connected its first opportunity.

After a changeable deed the station down Desbiens, Wozniewicz recovered the puck successful the crease and tucked it successful the net.

Montreal outshot the Charge 11-5 successful the opening frame, contempt sidesplitting the period’s only penalty. During the kill, some teams had scoring chances.

Montreal’s Laura Stacey had a breakaway but was incapable to get a changeable off, while Ottawa’s Rebecca Leslie fired a one-timer disconnected the post. Philips made large saves connected Catherine Dubois and Hayley Scamurra astatine moreover strength.

“It’s a agelong game,” said Poulin. “We were happy pinch the measurement we came retired successful the first 20 minutes. Sometimes, it isn’t ever reflected successful the people but for america it was to continue, put successful the activity and support digging.”

The Victoire tied the crippled 32 seconds into the 2nd period.

Off the faceoff, Tabin picked up a loose puck and roofed a backhand connected Philips. It was the defender’s first extremity of the playoffs.

It was the only extremity of a beingness mediate period, pinch Ottawa outshooting Montreal 6-4. The champion chance was a Stacey breakaway effort erstwhile her wrist changeable deed the crossbar. Both teams had unsuccessful powerfulness plays successful the first half of the 3rd period.

The Charge, who person now mislaid 5 consecutive games successful the last making love backmost to past season, are down 2-0 contempt being the only squad to lead the bid successful regularisation time. Montreal’s only leads person travel connected their overtime winners.

“Welcome to sport,” McLeod said. “You conscionable support going. We’re uncovering ways to people goals, we’re uncovering ways to triumph games passim the playoffs. We judge successful what we do.”

This study by BERITAJA was first published May 16, 2026.