Stacey scores OT winner for Montreal Victoire in 4-3 OT win over Toronto Sceptres

Montreal Victoire's Laura Stacey scores the winning goal on Toronto Sceptres goaltender Raygan Kirk during overtime PWHL hockey action in Toronto, Saturday, Dec. 21, 2024. (The Canadian Press/Chris Young)

Laura Stacey scored the overtime winner for the Montreal Victoire in a 4-3 win over the host Toronto Sceptres in the Professional Women's Hockey League on Sunday.

Stacey struck just 15 seconds into OT on a breakaway going forehand to backhand on Toronto goaltender Raygan Kirk.

Toronto (1-0-1-3) led 2-0 and 3-2 at period breaks, but dropped its fourth in a row to waste a 35-save performance by Kirk in her first career PWHL start.

Stacey in the neutral zone gathered a pass off the boards from Marie-Philip Poulin and drove in from the wing to score the winner.

Lina Ljungblom scored in a goal-mouth scramble at 12:51 of the third period for Montreal (1-2-0-1).

Abby Boreen had a goal and an assist and Maureen Murphy also scored for the Victoire. Goaltender Elaine Chuili made 19 saves for the win.

Izzy Daniel, Jesse Compher and Sarah Nurse scored for Toronto in front of an announced 8,251 at Coca-Cola Coliseum.

Kirk, 23, got her first PWHL game action Wednesday in the third period of Wednesday's 4-2 loss to the New York Sirens.

Toronto's seventh-round pick, who won a pair of NCAA titles with Ohio State, stopped all nine shots she faced in that game.

Montreal outshot Toronto 39-22, including a 14-5 margin late in the first period.

Takeaways

Toronto: The Sceptres were without Natalie Spooner as the PWHL's reigning Billie Jean King MVP continues to recover from knee surgery last spring. Montreal: The Victoire mustered four shots on goal during a five-minute power play early in the third period, but didn't score. Toronto defender Ryland MacKinnon was given a major and a game misconduct for a check to the head along the boards.

Key moment

Marie-Philip Poulin narrowly missed scoring the game's first goal on Montreal's second power play of the first period, but her wrist shot clanked off the post.

Key stat

Montreal collected its first regular-season win over Toronto in the PWHL. The Sceptres defeated the Victoire in all five meetings last season, including a shootout win in their first meeting and an overtime victory in their finale.

Up next

Toronto returns to action after the holiday break Friday at home against the Boston Fleet. Montreal travels to Minnesota the following day to meet the defending Walter Cup champion Frost.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Dec. 21, 2024.