The Minnesota Frost secured a significant victory on May 2, 2026, by defeating the Montréal Victoire 5-4 in overtime at Place Bell. This marks their first-ever playoff series opening win, a momentous achievement given their history of losses against this opponent.
Laura Stacey made history by scoring the first-ever postseason hat trick in PWHL history, while Jincy Roese netted the game-winning goal just 4:30 into overtime. This thrilling match attracted an impressive crowd of 9,364 fans, underscoring the growing excitement around women’s hockey.
That context matters because Minnesota had previously lost all four of their playoff series openers. The team’s resilience was on full display as they battled back from behind multiple times during this high-scoring encounter.
Key statistics from the game include:
- Minnesota Frost scored a total of 5 goals.
- Montréal Victoire managed 4 goals.
- The game featured 9 total goals, making it one of the highest-scoring playoff contests in league history.
- Maddie Rooney made 21 saves, while Ann-Renée Desbiens stopped 24 shots.
Coach Kori Cheverie praised her team’s character and resilience, stating, “I liked our resiliency. I liked our character to keep coming back.” This determination will be crucial as they look to build on this momentum.
The next challenge for the Frost comes on May 5 at 7 p.m. ET / 6 p.m. CT when they face Montréal again for Game 2 at Place Bell. With a series lead of 1-0, the Frost are eager to capitalize on this historic win.
