PWHL Players of the Week: Poulin, Morin, Desbiens supply standout performances

A surprising offensive show from the blue line, another display of elite goaltending, and the game’s greatest player is more back than ever.

After another slate of high-flying PWHL action, it’s time to recognize the standout performances we’ve seen this in the last seven days. Here is the latest edition of the Daily Faceoff PWHL Players of the Week.

Marie-Philip Poulin (F, Montreal Victoire)

After starting the season with just two goals and an assist in seven games, you knew that Montreal Victoire forward Marie-Philip Poulin was due to break the dam wide open, and last Wednesday against the Toronto Sceptres, she did just that.

In front of a sold-out crowd at Rogers Place in Vancouver, B.C., Poulin stole the show with a strong performance, which included what may end up being one of the goals of the year. While on her knees, Poulin found a rebound and fired it past Sceptres’ goalie Kristen Campbell to give the Victoire a 3-0 lead.

The Sceptres would come back to make it 3-2, but Poulin scored an empty netter to seal the 4-2 win for Montreal. Now with four goals and an assist for five points, the Victoire captain is tied for the team lead with five points. The two-goal performance could be what kickstarts a string of offensive production for Poulin.

Sidney Morin (D, Boston Fleet)

It’s one thing to score your first two goals of the season in the same game, which Sidney Morin did in a 2-1 Boston Fleet overtime win over the Ottawa Charge on Saturday. It’s another when those two goals doubled your career totals, as Morin only had one goal in 24 games with Boston last season.

After scoring her first of the year in the first period, Morin was buzzing offensively throughout the afternoon, tying a career high with five shots on goal in 16:57 of ice time. Her being on the ice in overtime was a testament to Fleet head coach Courtney Kessel rewarding Morin for her energy throughout the game.

Along with her two goals, Morin has an assist for three points on the season, one point shy of her total last season. While no one will confuse her for being an offensive dynamo, these flashes of production show that the former NCAA Defensive Player of the Year has many tools in her toolbox.

Ann-Renee Desbiens (G, Montreal Victoire)

This week saw a pair of very impressive performances for Victoire netminder Ann-Renee Desbiens, who stopped 28 of 30 shots in 65 minutes, only to lose in a shootout to the Fleet last Sunday, but followed it up with a 29-save effort in a 4-2 win over the Sceptres on Wednesday.

In six games this season, Desbiens is 3-1-1-1 and has allowed more than three goals in a game, nor has she finished a single contest with a save percentage (SV%) below .900. Her .924 SV% is tied for third in the league and her goals against average (GAA) of 2.11 is fourth.

What stands out most is how, despite the Victoire’s top players not producing as expected, Desbiens has continued to play lights out and keep her team in it. In both games this week, Montreal was outshot and took too many penalties, eight total between the two games, but the team has always had a chance to win. It’s part of the reason they’re the No. 1 team in the PWHL standings.

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