Montreal Victoire edge Toronto Sceptres 4-2 in first PWHL game in Vancouver

Montreal Victoire Marie-Philip Poulin (29) is congratulated after scoring a goal during a PWHL game against the Toronto Sceptres in Vancouver on Jan. 8, 2025. (LA PRESSE CANADIENNE/Ethan Cairns)

Marie-Philip Poulin scored twice as her Montreal Victoire downed the Toronto Sceptres 4-2 Wednesday in the first Professional Women's Hockey League game in Vancouver.

Mikyla Grant-Mentis added a goal and an assist for the Victoire (4-1-2-1) and Claire Dalton also scored.

Jesse Compher had a goal and an assist, Darryl Watts scored and Renata Fast registered two assists for the Sceptres (2-5-0-1).

Montreal goalie Ann-Renee Desbiens stopped 29 of 31 shots. Kristen Campbell made 21 saves for Toronto.

The sold-out game was the second stop in the PWHL's nine-city "Takeover Tour" criss-crossing North America to grow the league's audience and test potential expansion markets.

Other neutral-site destinations on the tour include Quebec City, where Montreal takes on the Ottawa Charge on Jan. 19, and Edmonton, where Toronto faces Ottawa on Feb. 16.

Games will also be held in Denver, Detroit, St. Louis, Buffalo, N.Y. and Raleigh, N.C.

Takeaways

Sceptres: After falling behind 3-0 midway through the second, Toronto worked its way back into contention, starting with Watts' power-play goal 9:29 into the middle frame.

The Sceptres pushed in the third, outshooting the Victoire 13-11 across the period, but couldn't find the equalizer.

Poulin sealed the win with an empty-net strike with 51 seconds left on the clock.

Victoire: The team's power play continues to struggle, going 0-for-2 on the night.

Montreal came into the game with its power play clicking at league-worst 10.71 per cent.

Key moment: Poulin gave Montreal a 3-0 cushion with a stunning goal 7:48 into the second period.

Erin Ambrose's shot bounced off of Campbell and out toward Poulin in the faceoff circle.

From her knees, the Canadian hockey legend corralled the rebound and snapped a blistering shot into the into the top right corner of the net.

Key stat: An announced crowd of 19,038 took in the game, eclipsing the Vancouver Canucks' season high of 18,940.

Up next

Sceptres: Visit the New York Sirens on Sunday.

Victoire: Take on the Frost in Minnesota in Denver on Sunday.

-- This report by The Canadian Press was first published Jan. 8, 2025.