"It was our just due"

The final whistle in Montreal didn't bring an easy win, but the Montreal Victory secured home-ice advantage for the initial round of the playoffs on Monday. With less than three minutes left and a 2-0 lead, Kori Cheverie's crew appeared on track for a regulation victory. Ann-Renee Desbiens was a whisker away from her first shutout of the season. The celebrations at the Place Bell were already in full swing.

However, just 39 seconds later, the Fleet scored twice and dashed our hopes for a quick exit. Suddenly, we were heading to overtime.

You'd think that would break the Victory's spirit, but they came back stronger. Laura Stacey, who else, settled the debate with a powerful overtime shot... off a pass from the ever-reliable Marie-Philip Poulin.

Post-match discussions revolved around the team's resilience more than their lost lead. Stacey summed it up: "We found a way to win. That's what good teams do. We'll use it as motivation, not just for the next game, but for the series too."

Confidence has been a constant for this squad throughout the season, and this victory was no exception. Stacey said it best: "Our resilience, we've had it all season. We knew it, we have it. It just takes moments like these to realize it."

This triumph was a welcome boost for the Montreal team, whose top spot in the standings had been gradually slipping away. Although their playoff spot is secure, they could still drop in the rankings. As Stacey pointed out: "The way we win doesn't matter. A win is a win. That's what we'll build on."

Catherine Dubois echoed Stacey's sentiment: "It's with experiences like this that you can build your confidence. It's good for us, it does us good. We deserved it. Sometimes you lose hockey games, but it's not because you didn't play well."

"Refinding Momentum"

Before the international break, the lack of goalscoring from players besides Stacey and Poulin was a topic of constant conversation. It seemed as though the depth players were all going through a drought simultaneously.

Last Saturday, Catherine Dubois scored one of the Victory's two goals in their 3-2 loss to the Ottawa Charge. On Monday, Jennifer Gardiner and Dubois both found the back of the net, with the first capitalizing on a rebound off an Abby Boreen shot that hit the post and the second nicely deflecting a shot from Maureen Murphy.

"We needed that rebound," admitted Cheverie. "I feel like we weren't getting those rebounds lately. But I also think you have to work for those rebounds. Tonight, I felt like that's what we were doing."

Come playoff time, creating chances for the third and fourth lines as well as developing unexpected heroes is essential. Cheverie noted that several players are stepping up and flying under the radar. Contrary to the past few games, the team seems to be gaining momentum, says Cheverie, who is looking forward to the upcoming matches.

For the first 10 minutes of the match, the Victory struggled to get a shot on goal. it wasn't until midway through the second period that Gardiner managed to score their first goal, taking a massive weight off the entire team.

"This league is tough, noted Stacey. Scoring goals is tough. [...] The girls put in a lot of effort, and you see the results. Slowly, the confidence is returning."

"We're starting to gain momentum, turn the tide," said Cheverie. "I'm excited for the next games."

Laura Stacey's overtime goal, off a pass from Marie-Philip Poulin, helped Montreal Victory refind momentum after a tough situation in the Montreal playoffs.
Jennifer Gardiner and Catherine Dubois both scored on Monday, contributing to the Montreal Victory's much-needed rebound in the European leagues and Premier League.
The Montreal Victory, despite a slow start, are starting to gain momentum in their games, as noted by coach Kori Cheverie.
In the past few games, several players on the Montreal Victory team have been stepping up and flying under the radar, contributing to the team's momentum.
Scoring goals and creating chances for all lines will be crucial for the Montreal Victory in the playoffs, as they aim to develop unexpected heroes and turn the tide in their favor.