The Vancouver Goldeneyes couldn’t extend their undefeated streak at the Pacific Coliseum to five games on Saturday as the Montreal Victoire rolled in and handed them a 4-2 loss. The Victoire extended their winning streak to four, while the Goldeneyes’ was halted at two. With the victory, the Victoire leap over the Minnesota Frost and now sit second in the PWHL with 10 points.
Marie-Philip Poulin, Dara Greig, Natálie Mlýnková, and Shiann Darkangelo scored for the Victoire. Sandra Abstreiter, who hadn’t started a game in the Professional Women’s Hockey League (PWHL) since 2024 with PWHL Ottawa, made 27 saves in her Victoire debut.
Sophie Jacques and Michela Cava scored for the Goldeneyes. Emerance Maschmeyer made 26 saves.
Game Recap
The Victoire opened the scoring at the 10:18 mark of the first period with Philip-Poulin’s second goal of the season. Captain Canada took the puck off a faceoff win and sniped it through Maschmeyer’s legs for her first goal in Vancouver since the 2010 Winter Olympics.
The Victoire doubled their lead at 1:48 of the second period with Greig’s first in the PWHL in her second season. She didn’t score in her rookie season, only recording three assists in 29 games. The Goldeneyes responded at 12:24 with Jacques’ second of the season, as she blasted it top corner on Abstreider to cut the lead to 2-1. The goal seemed to energize the Goldeneyes and their passionate home fans, but despite several good chances, they couldn’t get another one past the German goaltender to tie the game at two.
Instead, it was the Victoire who scored again, this time with a highlight-reel goal by Mlýnková. Off an uncharacteristic turnover by Goldeneyes captain Ashton Bell, she took the puck hard to the net and undressed Maschmeyer for her second-career PWHL goal.
Down 3-1 heading into the third, the Goldeneyes quickly got to work and cut the lead to 3-2 with Cava’s first in a Goldeneyes sweater, only 1:07 into the period. But just like the second period, they were energized by the goal, but couldn’t tie the game. Instead, the Victoire went up by two again on Darkangelo’s first with the Victoire, as she picked up a loose puck in traffic and shoveled it past Maschmeyer for the 4-2 lead.
Vancouver thought they had pulled within one again late, but the situation room determined that Gabby Rosenthal kicked the puck into the net during a goalmouth scramble. The Goldeneyes couldn’t muster anything else after that, and the Victoire walked away with a 4-2 victory.
The Victoire outshot the Goldeneyes 30-29. Both teams went 0-for-1 on the power play.
What’s Next?
The Goldeneyes are off until next Saturday (Dec. 27) when they travel to Edmonton to take on the two-time Walter Cup champion Minnesota Frost as part of the PWHL Takeover Tour. Even though they are designated as the home team, it will technically be the start of a six-game road trip. The Victoire, meanwhile, are back in action on Dec. 23 as they head down the highway to Seattle to face the Torrent.
