Montréal Snaps Ottawa's Win Streak with 2-1 Victory
PWHL Montreal Victoire

Montréal Snaps Ottawa's Win Streak with 2-1 Victory

Published on January 14, 2026 under Professional Women's Hockey League (PWHL)
Montreal Victoire News Release


LAVAL, QC - The Montréal Victoire skated to a 2-1 victory over the Ottawa Charge on Tuesday night before a crowd of 7,408 at Place Bell in the first meeting of the season between the Canadian rivals and a rematch of the 2025 PWHL Playoffs. The Victoire have now won three-straight games and stopped the red-hot Charge, who entered tonight's action with a team record six-straight wins. All three goals were scored in the first period of play, including two on the power play. Shiann Darkangelo was the first to strike with the player advantage at 3:58, pouncing on a rebound off the end boards to give the Victoire the lead. The former Charge forward picked up her second point against her old team, assisting on Jessica DiGigirolamo's first goal of the season at 14:18 to make it 2-0 for the Victoire. The Charge offense came to life late in the period on the power play when Ronja Savolainen capitalized on a loose puck at the top of the crease, just three seconds before the buzzer. Ann-Renée Desbiens stood tall the rest of the way for the Victoire, turning aside 17 of 18 shots to earn her sixth win of the season for a share of the league lead. Gwyneth Philips returned to the Charge crease tonight to make her 11th start of the season and stopped 29 shots in defeat. Tonight's win moves Montréal into a tie for second place in the standings with Minnesota, while Ottawa drops down to fifth. The teams will meet again at Place Bell on Jan. 24.

QUOTES

Victoire Head Coach Kori Cheverie on the team's overall play: "I liked how people stepped up. I liked how Darkangelo stepped into a role that that we really needed her to be in tonight, against their two top lines on the other side. That was great. (Hayley) Scamurra fit in quite well there. And she's a workhorse, and she did her job. And that line had great looks as well. And (Kaitlin) Willoughby getting a breakaway, we were putting pucks into the neutral zone, we were using our speed. I liked the contributions throughout the whole lineup."

Montréal forward Shiann Darkangelo on playing against her former team and getting the win: "It's always fun to play against the team that you were on, but just in general, it's fun to play hockey and be out here. It's fun that we just played a game, had a day off and get to go again. So just thought we built off the last game in the third period and brought that momentum into today, and I thought we had a great team win, and everybody's energy was up, and it was a lot of fun."

Ottawa Head Coach Carla MacLeod on the first duel with the Victoire since the playoffs: "Of course, they want to go at us. We beat them last year in the playoffs. You sit on that in the off-season and you have a chance to go back at that team, you're going to come out ready to go, and we saw that tonight. I don't think there has been a massive change in the two teams this season. I just think they're an awesome team and I think we are too."

Charge goaltender Gwyneth Philips on her heavy workload before the Winter Olympics: "Between the medical staff keeping me healthy and Sanni (Ahola) stepping up in the other game (in Halifax) and played big, I think I have the support to be healthy through the next handful of games here until the Olympics. I'm not too worried about that."

NOTABLES

Montréal remains undefeated at Place Bell this season (3-1-0-0) and have won five-straight regular season games at their primary home venue dating back to last season. The Victoire lead the PWHL with a winning percentage of .778 on home ice.

Ottawa suffered their first loss since Dec. 17 in Seattle, bringing an end to a team record six-game winning streak (2-4-0-0) and the longest winning streak in the PWHL this season.

The Victoire scored two goals in the first period for the first time this season. They entered tonight's game with just five goals scored in the opening frame across their first 10 games, their lowest total of any regulation period.

Seven of Montréal's 11 games this season have been decided by one goal, the most in the PWHL. Four of Ottawa's six games during their winning streak were decided by one goal in overtime or shootout.

Ottawa improved its league leading power play to 20.5%, scoring on one of four opportunities with the player advantage against Montréal's penalty kill unit that was ranked first heading into tonight's game. The Victoire penalty kill now ranks second behind Boston at 93.8%. Tonight was the first time the Victoire allowed a power play goal on home ice this season.

The Charge's three shots on goal in the third period are the team's lowest of any period this season.

Shiann Darkangelo recorded her first multi-point game with her second goal and first assist as a member of the Victoire. During the 2024-25 season with Ottawa, the forward produced three multi-point performances, including two assists against Montréal on Apr. 26. Darkangelo also recorded season-high numbers in the faceoff circle in wins and attempts, going 12-for-20 tonight while centering the team's second line.

Jessica DiGirolamo's goal was her first as a member of the Victoire in her 11th game with the team, matching the defender's 2024-25 goal total in 30 games with Boston. Last season's goal was the first of her career in her 30th game on May 3 against Minnesota.

Ronja Savolainen set a new career-high with her third goal of the season in her 13th game, surpassing the two goals she scored in 28 games during the 2024-25 campaign. The Charge defender has five points (3G, 2A) in her last seven games, including two power play goals to tie for the team lead, after going pointless in her first six.

Ann-Renée Desbiens lowered her league leading goals-against-average to 1.22 with tonight's performance. The Victoire netminder has allowed one or fewer goals five times this season and has not surrendered more than two goals in any of her nine starts this season. Tonight's 18 shots are the fewest she has faced in a game this season.

Gwyneth Philips has faced 30 or more shots in seven of her 11 games this season, most in the PWHL. She leads the league with 330 saves.

Hayley Scamurra and Maggie Flaherty both recorded their second assists and third points as members of the Victoire, marking their first power play helpers since the inaugural season. Scamurra has matched her stat line in 25 games during the 2024-25 season with Toronto and Ottawa (1G, 2A), while Flaherty has surpassed her offensive production in 22 games with Minnesota last season (1G, 1A).

Maureen Murphy picked up her first point of the season with a secondary assist on DiGirolamo's goal, ending a career-high 10-game point drought.

Fanuza Kadrirova recorded the first power play point of her career with a primary assist. The Charge sixth-round pick has four points (2G, 2A) in her last eight games.

Kateřina Mrázová has contributed all three of her points this season on the power play (1G, 2A) in her last seven games, including a secondary assist tonight. Last season, the Czech forward had just one power play assist amongst her seven points in 14 games.

Laura Stacey led all players with five shots on goal, bringing her league leading total to 49.

Marie-Philip Poulin was held without a point for just the third time in 11 games this season, bringing an end to her career-high six-game point streak.

Abby Roque missed her first game of the season for the Victoire, serving a one-game suspension for an illegal check to the head in Sunday's game against Vancouver.

THREE STARS

1. Shiann Darkangelo (MTL) 1G, 1A

2. Jessica DiGirolamo (MTL) 1G

3. Gwyneth Philips (OTT) 29 SV

STANDINGS

Montréal: 19 PTS (5-2-0-4) - 2nd Place (Tied)

Ottawa: 17 PTS (3-4-0-6) - 5th Place

UPCOMING SCHEDULES

Montréal: Sunday, Jan. 18 at New York (in Washington) at 2 p.m. ET

Ottawa: Tuesday, Jan. 20 at New York at 7 p.m. ET

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Professional Women's Hockey League Stories from January 14, 2026


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