Ann-Renée Desbiens showcased her goaltending skills with 21 saves, including a remarkable 11 in the final period, helping the Montreal Victoire secure a 3-1 victory over the Toronto Sceptres in Professional Women’s Hockey League action on Sunday at Place Bell in Laval, Quebec.
Contributing to the Victoire’s success were goals from Kati Tabin, Hayley Scamurra, and Laura Stacey. Tabin opened the scoring in the first period, followed by Scamurra extending the lead in the second period. Meanwhile, Stacey sealed the victory with a power-play goal in the third period.
Raygan Kirk, the Toronto goaltender, made 27 saves in the game, while Emma Gentry scored Toronto’s lone goal. Despite the loss, Gentry marked her first career PWHL goal.
The game saw Montreal dominating the early stages with a significant shot advantage. Although Toronto managed to score in the third period, Montreal’s strong defensive play, led by Desbiens, secured the win.
The match marked the first of three scheduled encounters between Montreal and Toronto in different arenas. The upcoming games are set for December 17 in Halifax as part of the PWHL’s Takeover Tour and December 27 at the Bell Centre.