Ice-Capades 15: Pour La Victoire

I recently moved from covering the Victoire for Offside News to the Flyers. I am thus moving my discussion of the Montreal Victoire here. But that’s enough of the Oxbridge pleasantries, let’s talk about the Victoire!

I’m still not over this loss, so you’re getting a caps-locked Ollie rant.

VICTOIRE, IT WAS 3-0! AT HOME! WHERE YOU ARE UNDEFEATED. YOU HAD ANN RENEE DESBIENS IN NET. EVERYTHING WAS GOING YOUR WAY. YES, MPP HAD TO LEAVE BECAUSE SHE REINJURED HER LEG (THE ONE THAT WAS INJURED AT THE OLYMPICS), BUT COME ON. YOU AND I BOTH KNOW HOW FLIMSY OF AN EXCUSE THAT IS FOR HOW EPIC OF A COLLAPSE THAT WAS.

ALSO, JUST A REMINDER, WHEN YOU’RE UP BY THAT MUCH, YOU HAVE TO CRUSH YOUR OPPONENT. DO NOT GIVE THEM ANY LIFE. BUT NO ONE TOLD MAGGIE FLAHERTY, WHOSE HIT NOT ONLY GOT HER EJECTED, BUT ALSO GAVE THE FLEET A FIVE-MINUTE MAJOR. EVEN THOUGH THE VICTOIRE KILLED IT OFF, IT GAVE THE BOSTON TEAM MOMENTUM THAT LED TO THEM SCORING THREE IN THE THIRD PERIOD, INCLUDING TWO WITH FRANKEL PULLED. IF WE HAD FLAHERTY, WE PROBABLY WOULD HAVE KEPT IT CLOSE, BUT AGAIN, SHE TOOK A DUMBASS PENALTY AND THUS THE VICTOIRE WERE DOWN BY A DEFENDER THAT THEY NEEDED. AND WILL YOU LOOK AT THAT, THE MINNESOTA FROST ARE NOW CHUGGING THEIR WAY INTO FIRST PLACE. YAY. MY INITIATION INTO PAIN AS A WOMEN’S HOCKEY FAN. LET THE SAD OLES RING THROUGH THE NIGHT.

Good news for a Victoire bounceback: they are playing the Seattle Torrent, who not only lost Hillary Knight and Alex Carpenter to LTIR (Long Term Injured Reserve), but also were playing without Mikyla Grant-Mentis, who got injured by Britta Curl in a game against the Frost. To say it was a must-win after blowing that lead against the Fleet was an understatement. And the Victoire delivered. While each team had a power play, neither team scored with the extra attacker.

The offensive barrage started in the second period, when Catherine Dubois scored her first of the season on the top line. Then, later in the second period, Laura Stacey scored a jailbreak goal on a breakaway chance. She had a similar opportunity in the first period, when the Victoire penalty kill, and missed. She did not this time. I also loved the camera cutting to her wife and linemate, Marie-Philip Poulin, smiling at her effort. That is also how I reacted to my TV. Even though the Torrent got on the board on an Alex Carpenter goal in the third period (which scared me into thinking the Victoire would blow yet another lead), they ended up getting the goal back on Skylar Irving’s second of the year. The lead doubled on an empty net goal by Stacey, who had a big game in Poulin’s absence.

Winnipeg Jets fans finally got to see some good hockey on this Takeover Tour stop, especially from the goaltenders. While Desbiens saved her best for the second and third period, Charge goaltender Gwyneth Philips was tested right away by an aggressive Victoire forecheck. The score stayed at 0-0 until the second period, when Charge defender Gabby Philips scored her fifth. The Victoire tied it up on a Nicole Gosling shot after her team won the faceoff. The game remained tied through the second and third periods, despite each team having a bevy of chances to break the tie, thanks to the referees deciding to call penalties. There was also some controversy as a Rebecca Leslie hit on Boulier resulted in a minor instead of a major penalty. The inconsistent refereeing about what counts as a legal or illegal hit, as well as Player Safety adequately punishing dangerous hits, will ultimately lead to someone getting seriously hurt.

Ultimately, Rebecca Leslie won the game for the Charge. I’m not as mad about this game as I was regarding the Fleet match because Gwyneth Philips is an elite goalie and was able to match another elite goalie. We at least get a point and move on.

The Victoire’s next game is today against the Frost, where they hope to catch up to Minnesota’s first-place status from their third-place position in the standings. They also have to do so without Poulin, who is now on LTIR. In her place, they signed Team Italy captain Nadia Mattivi, who scored two assists in the Olympics. She also netted 23 points last season as a part of Lulea in the women’s SDHL (Swedish Hockey League).

Their game on the 28th is not only a Takeover Tour game in Detroit against the Sirens, but it will also be broadcast on ION TV in America. The Sirens-Victoire matchup will be the first PWHL game broadcast on national TV in America. Although the PWHL has had national broadcasts on CBC and Sportsnet, getting a TV provider in America will help provide the league with ad revenue, as well as a cable TV channel to show their games on. ION will also be the home of the Walter Cup Finals as well, so I’m looking forward to the PWHL’s viewership to grow.