Victoire win longest PWHL game in league history

One of the greatest postseason games in professional hockey history, men’s or women’s, saw a surprising name play the hero in the Mother’s Day Marathon.

With just over five minutes to go in the fourth overtime, Montreal Victoire forward Catherine Dubois scored to give her team a 3-2 win over the Ottawa Charge, evening their semifinal series at a game apiece.

The game will be memorable for several reasons. It was the longest game in PWHL history, by far, surpassing Montreal’s triple overtime loss to Boston last year. That game also came in Game 2 of the semifinals in Laval.

It was also the Victoire’s first postseason victory in franchise history. Sunday’s battle of endurance was the longest game in professional hockey this season so far. On top of that, it was the second-longest game in Montreal pro hockey history, coming a little short of the Montreal Maroons’ six-overtime loss to the Detroit Red Wings in the first game of the 1936 Stanley Cup Playoffs. The game-winning goal came at the 136:24 mark of the contest.

The game broke numerous league records. The teams combined for 121 total shots, with the Charge outshooting the Victoire 65-56. Montreal goaltender Ann-Renée Desbiens set a record by making 63 saves in the victorious effort.

What is crazy about all of that is…it almost didn’t happen.

By the early stages of the second period, the Victoire was up 2-0, with Kristin O’Neill scoring her first goal in 26 games just over two minutes into the contest. Laura Stacey gave the home side a two-goal cushion in the middle stanza.

However, Ottawa kept pushing, firing 14 shots on goal in the third period. They were rewarded with Aneta Tejralová putting the team on the board with a few minutes left in regulation. Then, with 42 seconds remaining, captain Brianne Jenner scored her second of the series to tie the game.

Both teams had so many chances to win the game in the first three overtimes, but Desbiens and Charge netminder Gwyneth Philips went save-for-save, neither wanting to be the one wanting to wear the goat horns.

The Charge not only outshot the Victoire, but they also led in scoring chances, 42-36. The rookie Philips did everything she could to give her team a chance to win, making 53 saves in the best game of her young career.

Neither team scored on the power play, including both teams having a little bit of 5-on-3 time in the first overtime. Montreal failed to score on four chances with the player advantage, while Ottawa went 0-for-2.

The series shifts to the nation’s capital for the first time as the Charge and Victoire try to rest up for Game 3 on Tuesday night. Puck drop is scheduled for a little after 7 p.m. ET.

Check out the PWHL Playoffs hub