Montréal Victoire Win Game 1 of the Finals (2026)

The Ottawa Charge traveled to Place Bell on May 14, 2026 to face the Montréal Victoire in Game 1 of 2026 PWHL Walter Cup Finals series. Read about how the Montréal Victoire secured a 1-0 series lead after ending Game 1 with an OT win! 

Game 1 | Thursday, May 14, 2026 | Montréal Victoire 3, Ottawa Charge 2

The Ottawa Charge’s momentum from their semifinals three-game winning streak continued into this matchup and helped them to maintain puck possession throughout the first period (10 SOG vs. 5 SOG). Despite outshooting the Montréal Victoire and having the only attempt on the man-advantage, the first period ended with a scoreless standstill as both teams struggled to capitalize on their scoring chances (0-0). 

Game 1 remained at a scoreless standstill until the last five minutes of the second period when #37 Rebecca Leslie scored the opening goal and gave the Ottawa Charge a one-goal lead going into the last period of regulation (1-0). When it came to puck possession, both teams ended with 8 shots on goal. In regards to special teams, both teams' penalty kill units remained undefeated against the Ottawa Charge’s one attempt on the man-advantage and the Montréal Victoire’s two power play attempts.

Down by one, the Montréal Victoire regrouped and tied the game with an electric goal scored by #11 Abby Roque midway through the third period (1-1). It did not take long for the Ottawa Charge to regain their one-goal lead when #37 Rebecca Leslie scored another goal with five minutes remaining in regulation (2-1). With blood in the water from #7 Laura Stacey’s injury during the last eighteen seconds of the period, the Montréal Victoire’s vengeance led to #61 Nicole Gosling tying the game with three seconds remaining in regulation (2-2). This last push by the Montréal Victoire ultimately forced the first overtime of the finals. 

The Montréal Victoire closed out Game 1 with a final score of 3-2 after dominating the period (2 SOG vs. 0 SOG). #11 Abby Roque scored the game-winning overtime goal which was assisted by #91 Maggie Flaherty and #7 Laura Stacey who came back after suffering a lower body injury. This win would not have been possible without the gutsy in net performance of #35 Ann-Renée Desbiens who saved 23 out of 25 shots on goal. The Ottawa Charge’s loss does not take away from the commendable goaltending performance of #33 Gwyneth Philips who saved 23 out of 26 shots on goal by the end of regulation. With the first win of this series secured, the Montréal Victoire are two wins away from earning The Walter Cup. 

Points Leaders and Goaltending Stats

Montréal Victoire

• Points leaders: #7 Laura Stacey (2A) and #11 Abby Roque (2G) ended this game with 2 points recorded

• Goals leader: #11 Abby Roque scored 2 goals in this game

• Assists leaders: #7 Laura Stacey assisted 2 goals which included the game-winning OT goal

• Goaltending: #35 Ann-Renée Desbiens saved 23 out of 25 shots on goal

Ottawa Charge

• Points leaders: #37 Rebecca Leslie (2G) ended this game with 2 points recorded

• Goals leader: #37 Rebecca Leslie scored the 2 Ottawa Charge goals of this game

• Assists leaders: #23 Sarah Wozniewicz assisted 1 goal in this game

• Goaltending: #33 Gwyneth Philips saved 23 out of 26 shots on goal 

Overall Stats

• The Montréal Victoire outscored the Ottawa Charge (3G vs. 2G)

• The Montréal Victoire outshot the Ottawa Charge (26 SOG vs. 25 SOG)

• Both teams ended with a 0% power play success rate

• Both teams ended with a 100% penalty kill success rate

SUMMARY: The Montréal Victoire’s overall ability to capitalize on their scoring chances ultimately gave them an edge to secure this Game 1 win. 

After making a huge comeback in Game 1, the Montréal Victoire have stood their ground and gained a 1-0 series lead. The battle has only begun for these teams as the Ottawa Charge enter Game 2 with a hunger for redemption. On the other hand, we can expect the Montréal Victoire to enter the net matchup with the utmost confidence from their regular season experiences against the Ottawa Charge and momentum in the playoffs. 

Below are the next scheduled match-up(s) and where to watch them:

Saturday May 16, 2026 (Game 2)

• The Ottawa Charge will face the Montréal Victoire in Game 2 of this series on Saturday May 16, 2026 at 2:00 PM EDT. This game will take place at the Place Bell

  • Watch on ION, TSN, RDS, PWHL YouTube Channel

Monday, May 18, 2026 (Game 3) 

• The Montréal Victoire will face the Ottawa Charge in Game 3 of this series on Monday, May 18, 2026 at 6:00 PM EDT. This game will take place at the Canadian Tire Centre

  • Watch on ION, TSN, RDS, PWHL YouTube Channel

Wednesday, May 20, 2026 (Game 4) If Necessary

• The Montréal Victoire will face the Ottawa Charge in Game 4 of this series on Wednesday, May 20, 2026 at 7:00 PM EDT. This game will take place at the Canadian Tire Centre

  • Watch on ION, TSN, RDS, PWHL YouTube Channel

Game 5 is TBD if necessary 

Stay tuned for the next recap of the 2026 PWHL Walter Cup Playoffs!