The Montreal Victoire are heading into the Professional Women's Hockey League playoffs as the top seed after a thrilling 2-1 shootout victory over the Seattle Torrent on Saturday night in the final game of the regular season.
Lina Ljungblom delivered the decisive goal in the shootout, lifting Montreal to a crucial win that secured the franchise's position atop the PWHL standings. The Victoire finished the regular season with a 17-5-2-6 record, earning 62 points—tied with Boston for the league lead—but holding the crucial tiebreaker advantage.
Strong Start Falters in Third Period
Montreal took control early when Abby Roque scored on a 5-on-3 power play advantage at 7:25 of the second period, giving the Victoire a 1-0 lead. The team appeared poised for a regulation victory, but Seattle refused to fade away.
Alex Carpenter tied the game for the Torrent with 9:49 remaining in the third period, forcing the contest into overtime and ultimately the shootout where Ljungblom proved to be the difference-maker.
Goaltender Ann-Renée Desbiens was stellar between the pipes for Montreal, stopping 23 shots through regulation and overtime to keep the Victoire in position for the victory.
Playoff Matchup Takes Shape
With the No. 1 seed secured, Montreal will now choose its first-round opponent from either third-seeded Minnesota or No. 4 seed Ottawa, giving the Victoire a significant advantage heading into the playoffs.
Good news arrived on the injury front as well. Star forwards Marie-Philip Poulin and Maureen Murphy returned to action after missing time since mid-March, providing Montreal with a full roster heading into postseason play.
Seattle's Struggles Continue
The loss capped a difficult season for Seattle, which finished with an 8-1-4-17 record and 30 points—the lowest total in the PWHL. A victory would have positioned the Torrent to secure the No. 1 overall selection in the 2026 PWHL entry draft, but that honour instead goes to Vancouver.
Despite the team's struggles on the ice, the franchise showed continued support from fans, setting a season-high attendance of 17,151 at Saturday's game.
This report is based on information from the Lethbridge Herald and wire service reports.