Maggie Flaherty's first goal lifts Frost past Victoire 4-2 as Takeover Tour reaches Denver

Montreal Victoire Laura Stacey (7) during a match on Dec. 6, 2024. (LA PRESSE CANADIENNE/ Patrick Doyle)

Maggie Flaherty scored her first goal of the season to give Minnesota the lead in the third period and the Frost moved into first place in the Professional Women's Hockey League with a 4-2 win over the Montreal Victoire on Sunday at Denver's Ball Arena, home ice of the Colorado Avalanche.

The game, part of the league's Takeover Tour of potential expansion venues, drew 14,018 fans to set a new U.S. attendance record.

Minnesota's Maddie Rooney earned her league-leading fifth win in goal with 21 saves on 23 shots and the Frost saw defender Sophie Jacques finish with a goal and an assist in her return from the injured list after missing five games.

Catherine Dubois scored early to give Montreal the lead in the first period, but Britta Curl-Salemme evened the game with a goal midway through the period and Jaques scored on a Frost power play to take a 2-1 lead in the second.

Jennifer Gardiner evened it at 2-2 with a power-play goal that caromed off a Minnesota skate for the Victoire.

As the Victoire tried to clear the puck from its own zone 13 minutes into a scoreless third period, Flaherty jumped on an errant pass in the slot and fired a hard wrist shot past Montreal's Elaine Chuli for the game-winner. Michela Cava took a pass from Jaques in the final two minutes and lifted a wrist shot past Chuli's shoulder for the insurance goal.

Chuli, making her first start since Dec. 21, made 25 saves.

Montreal lost one of its leading scorers, Laura Stacey, to an apparent injury to her left leg in the second period.

She was helped from the bench to the locker room and did not return.