{"id":668396,"date":"2026-05-14T07:04:20","date_gmt":"2026-05-14T07:04:20","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/668396\/"},"modified":"2026-05-14T07:04:20","modified_gmt":"2026-05-14T07:04:20","slug":"montreal-victoire-advances-to-walter-cup-final-after-game-5-win-over-minnesota-frost","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/668396\/","title":{"rendered":"Montreal Victoire advances to Walter Cup final after Game 5 win over Minnesota Frost"},"content":{"rendered":"

The Montreal Victoire is on the way to its first-ever Walter Cup final after eliminating the Minnesota Frost in a final Game 5 on Tuesday in the opening round of the Professional Women\u2019s Hockey League playoffs.<\/p>\n

The top-seeded Victoire won 2-1 over the two-time defending champions, ending the best-of-five game semifinal series at home at Laval\u2019s Place Bell. Captain Marie-Philip Poulin\u2019s third-period goal was the difference.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt feels really good, I\u2019m not going to lie,\u201d Poulin said of the win and advancing to the final. \u201cYou know, you work so hard for moments like these. First year, second year, you\u2019re always a little bit on the sidelines.<\/p>\n

\u201cSo to finally do it here, at home, Game 5, to make it to the final \u2014 we did it tonight, but we\u2019re not finished. We\u2019re eager, and I think this is just the beginning of something.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/p>\n

The Victoire will face the Ottawa Charge in the final. The Charge beat the Boston Fleet in their semifinal.<\/p>\n

The final game of the Montreal-Minnesota series was initially scheduled for Monday, but it was postponed due to illness<\/a>. The announcement came just a few hours before players were set to hit the ice for Game 5, and some fans had already arrived to find the entrance closed. <\/p>\n

On Tuesday, the arena wasn\u2019t as packed as usual, with the upper bowl empty at the start of the rescheduled game.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt was a little disappointing, but better that everyone is healthy,\u201d Victoire fan Caroline Tremblay said of the postponement. \u201cAnd you know it worked that I could come back today so it\u2019s not bad.\u201d<\/p>\n

Jessica Reardon, who described herself as a big women\u2019s hockey fan, said she knew the decisive matchup \u201cwould happen soon enough\u201d right after it was pushed back.<\/p>\n

\u201cI was just so anxious I couldn\u2019t even process it,\u201d she said of the delayed game.<\/p>\n

After a back-and-forth series, Montreal is one step closer to its first championship. While the team has reached the playoffs in each of its three seasons, it lost both its first two years in the first round, to Boston and Ottawa respectively.<\/p>\n

The mood was festive during the do-or-die game, with the crowd erupting into loud cheers when the Victoire\u2019s Catherine Dubois notched the first goal of the game. The Frost\u2019s Samantha Cogan tied it up in the second period, only for Poulin to take back the lead with a goal in the third.<\/p>\n

\"Marie-PhilipVictoire forward Marie-Philip Poulin shoots what would be a third-period goal against the Minnesota Frost in Game 5 of their PWHL semifinal series at Place Bell in Laval on Tuesday, May 12, 2026. Arianne Bergeron \/ PWHL<\/p>\n

Tanvi Kumar, 12, said her dad knows she enjoys watching the Victoire play, \u201cso he decided to surprise me with tickets.\u201d<\/p>\n

Her father noted because of the rescheduling, he would have one headphone to keep up to date on the Montreal Canadiens\u2019 Game 4 against the Buffalo Sabres.<\/p>\n

Her favourite part about the Victoire is that it demonstrates that it\u2019s not only men and boys who can play hockey at the professional level.
\u201cIt shows that girls can do things too,\u201d Kumar said, adding she hopes to attend a game in the finals.<\/p>\n

\u2018Biggest win\u2019 in Victoire\u2019 history, coach says<\/p>\n

The Victoire\u2019s win means it\u2019s the first time since the league\u2019s inception<\/a> the Frost has failed to advance past the semifinal or win the Walter Cup. It\u2019s also the first time the Walter Cup will be an all-Canadian matchup.<\/p>\n

\u201cI think it\u2019s our biggest win in our organization\u2019s history,\u201d Victoire coach Kori Cheverie told reporters after Game 5. \u201cWe had to fight tooth and nail against a team like Minnesota. It wasn\u2019t easy.\u201d<\/p>\n

Whatever happens in the Walter Cup Finals, the cup is coming home ??<\/p>\n

Congratulations to the Montr\u00e9al Victoire on securing their spot in the finals! https:\/\/t.co\/svZckauf1t<\/a><\/p>\n

\u2014 Mark Carney (@MarkJCarney) May 13, 2026<\/a><\/p>\n

Minnesota won 5-4 in overtime in Game 1 against Montreal. The Victoire then tied it up after Poulin broke a scoreless draw in the third overtime period of Game 2.<\/p>\n

The series then shifted to Minnesota, where the Victoire took the lead with a tight 2-1 win Thursday night in Game 3. The Frost bounced back with a 3-1 victory the following night, tying up the series.<\/p>\n

The final game of the series was initially scheduled for Monday, but it was postponed due to illness. The announcement came just a few hours before players were set to hit the ice for Game 5, and some fans had already arrived to find the entrance closed.<\/p>\n

In the PWHL, the team atop the standings gets to select its opponent in the semifinals from the third- and fourth-place clubs. This year, first-place Montreal chose third-place Minnesota over fourth-place Ottawa. Before the playoffs, the Victoire had swept the Frost during the season, winning all four matchups.<\/p>\n

The Victoire will now face the Charge, which finished off the Fleet with a 4-3 double overtime win Sunday and had been waiting to find out who its opponent would be. This is the second year in a row that Ottawa has made it to the final round.<\/p>\n

Kayley Kennedy, who travelled from Ottawa to see the Victoire in action, said she would be happy to see the Victoire take on her second favourite club.<\/p>\n

\u201cI believe in the team,\u201d she said of the Victoire.<\/p>\n

The Victoire players \u201cknow what to do,\u201d Tremblay said of the next challenge.<\/p>\n

\u201cI think if they keep doing what they\u2019re doing and just keep showing up, giving everything, I\u2019m pretty sure we will see the results,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n

Walter Cup final schedule<\/p>\n

Game 1: Thursday, May 14, 7 p.m. (Place Bell), TSN5, RDS.<\/p>\n

Game 2: Saturday, May 16, 2 p.m. (Place Bell), TSN1, RDS.<\/p>\n

Game 3: Monday, May 18, 6 p.m. (Canadian Tire Centre), TSN5, RDS.<\/p>\n

Game 4 (if necessary): Wednesday, May 20, 7 p.m. (Canadian Tire Centre), TSN5, RDS.<\/p>\n

Game 5 (if necessary): Date\/time TBD (Place Bell), TSN, RDS.<\/p>\n

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