Montréal Victoire Clinches First Place in PWHL Standings with 2-1 Shootout Victory Over Seattle Torrent

On April 26, 2026, the Montréal Victoire secured first place in the Professional Women’s Hockey League (PWHL) regular season standings with a hard-fought 2-1 shootout win over the Seattle Torrent at Climate Pledge Arena in Seattle. The victory, achieved in front of a sold-out crowd of 17,151 fans, not only guaranteed the Victoire the top seed in the Walter Cup Playoffs but also granted them the opportunity to select their first-round playoff opponent.

Game Summary: A Tight Defensive Battle Decided in the Shootout

The contest remained scoreless through regulation and overtime, with both goaltenders delivering standout performances. Montréal’s Corinne Schroeder turned away 36 of 37 shots, including six in overtime, while Seattle’s Ann-Renée Desbiens stopped 23 of 24 attempts. Neither netminder allowed an even-strength goal during the game.

Montréal broke the deadlock early in the second period when Abby Roque capitalized on a power-play opportunity, firing a shot from the slot past Schroeder’s blocker at 7:37 to provide the Victoire a 1-0 lead. The goal was assisted by the power-play setup that followed a Seattle penalty.

Seattle responded late in the third period as Alex Carpenter pounced on a rebound from Theresa Schafzahl’s power-play shot to tie the game at 1-1 at 10:11. The marker marked Carpenter’s 20th point of the season, making her the first player in PWHL history to reach that milestone in three consecutive seasons.

With neither team able to score in the five-minute overtime period, the game proceeded to a shootout. After five rounds failed to produce a winner, the Victoire prevailed in the sixth round when Lina Ljungblom scored following Hilary Knight’s failed second attempt for Seattle. Schroeder stopped two of six shootout attempts, while Desbiens saved five of six.

Standings Implications and Historical Context

The win elevated the Victoire to a 16-5-2-6 record (60 points), securing first place in the league ahead of the Boston Fleet. It marked the second consecutive season Montréal has finished atop the regular season standings. With the victory, the Victoire became the first team in PWHL history to record wins in 11 different venues during a single season, having already tied the previous record of 10 set by Toronto in the league’s inaugural season and matched by Boston in 2025-26.

The result also impacted the draft order, as Seattle’s loss combined with Vancouver’s earlier overtime win pushed the Torrent to finish second in the George Plan Draft Order standings. The Vancouver Golden Eagles secured the first overall pick in the 2026 PWHL Entry Draft.

Individual Performances and Milestones

Abby Roque’s power-play goal was her second of the season and came after receiving a pass from Laura Stacey, who also earned an assist on the play. Marie-Philip Poulin was credited with the secondary assist. Roque later became the first Victoire player to score in the shootout during the game, giving Montréal an early advantage in the extra round.

Laura Stacey, despite not registering a point in this game, had been a dominant force in the season series against Seattle, tallying three goals and five points across the three prior meetings. Stacey had gone scoreless for the first time in seven games prior to this contest.

Carpenter’s tying goal not only forced extra time but also cemented her place in PWHL history as the first player to achieve 20 points in three straight seasons—a testament to her sustained offensive excellence since the league’s inception.

Looking Ahead to the Playoffs

As the regular season champions, the Victoire now hold the advantage of choosing their first-round opponent in the Walter Cup Playoffs. The team will await the completion of the remaining quarterfinal matchups before making their selection, aiming to capitalize on home-ice advantage and momentum heading into the postseason.

For the Seattle Torrent, the loss concluded a season that saw them finish eighth in the overall standings with an 8-1-4-16 record (30 points). Despite missing the playoffs, Torrent goaltender Hannah Murphy had earlier in the week set a career-high with 37 saves in a 2-1 victory over Montréal—the first-ever meeting between the two franchises at Climate Pledge Arena.

Key Takeaways

• The Montréal Victoire clinched first place in the PWHL standings with a 2-1 shootout win over the Seattle Torrent on April 26, 2026.
• The victory marked the second consecutive season Montréal finished atop the league.
• Abby Roque scored the game’s lone regulation goal on the power play, while Lina Ljungblom delivered the shootout winner.
• Alex Carpenter’s tying goal made her the first player in PWHL history to record 20 points in three consecutive seasons.
• With the win, Montréal became the first team in PWHL history to win in 11 different venues in a single season.
• Seattle’s loss, combined with Vancouver’s overtime win, resulted in the Golden Eagles securing the first overall pick in the 2026 PWHL Entry Draft.