Montreal finished the season series beating Ottawa 2-0 to improve to 4-1 against them thanks to a solid performance from their goaltender who was a brick wall.
Ann-Renee Desbiens secured her first-ever PWHL shutout Saturday afternoon at TD Arena in Ottawa as Montreal beat them 2-0 and the Quebec native made 31 saves in the win.
“I think we found a way,” Montreal head coach Kori Cheverie told the media post-game. “We knew Ottawa was going to be a good team and we knew they were going to push.”
Ottawa was looking to clinch a playoff spot in their final home game of the regular season but was denied that opportunity as the visitors hung on for the win.
“Desbiens is heating up when we need her to and she is the one settling down our group when there is chaos and that was really helpful for our group tonight.”
The first period was extremely tight with Ottawa coming out of the gates flying taking the game to Montreal and after 20 minutes the period finished 0-0.
“Ottawa plays a man-on-man with three high and we didn’t adjust quick enough and that is something we will work on for the playoffs.”
Laura Stacey opened the scoring less than five minutes into the second period when off a turnover she found the puck on her stick and was able to one-time a shot into the back of the net past goaltender Emerance Mashmeyer.
“In the second period we were dangerous,” Stacey said. “We were attacking and I jumped over the boards and Marie Phillip Poulin and Catherine Dubois forced a turnover and it came to me and I tried to fire it as quick as I could and luckily enough it went in.”
With 5:52 left in the second Ottawa thought they tied the game when off a mad scramble Savannah Harmon was able to put the puck into the net but Montreal challenged for goaltender interference due to Becca Gilmore impeding Desbiens and after a long review the goal was overturned.
“I was confident,” Cheverie told me when I asked her about her confidence level when challenging the goal. “I saw it three times on the review and that has been the standard.”
With 1:48 left in regulation and Ottawa pushing for the equalizer Montreal got a break as Maureen Murphy was able to beat Maschmeyer with a quick shot that went five-hole and stood as the insurance goal. We had a chance to catch up with Desbiens post-game to discuss her first shutout in her PWHL career and her performance.
“Yes it is my first but it is more important that we get the win and stay in contention for first place to get home ice in the playoffs,” Desbiens said. “You always need to be ready and you always want to have a lead and protect it and the three points are very important for us.”
Montreal also snapped Ottawa’s four-game winning streak and will wrap up the regular season next Saturday when they hit the road once again to face Boston.
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