Goals were going to come at a premium in Tuesday’s PWHL clash at Climate Pledge Arena. The Seattle Torrent were facing 2024-25 goalie of the year Ann-Renée Desbiens. The Montreal netminder had allowed one or fewer goals in each of her last three starts, all Victoire victories.
Seattle goalie Hannah Murphy met the challenge. Murphy, who had allowed one goal in each of her first two starts, both Torrent wins, performed the feat a third time before an appreciative audience of 10,276. Murphy made 37 saves, several spectacular, to outduel her heralded opposite number and lead the Torrent to a 2-1 victory.
“They (the fans) wanted a win for Christmas,” Murphy said afterward, “and we did, too.” Alex Carpenter said in praise of her goalie, “We were getting bodies in front of pucks and trying to block as many as we could, knowing that we had Hannah behind us. We’re super confident in her, but we were trying to give her a little break now and then and block a couple ourselves. We played a complete game against a really good team. We shut down everything that they had tonight.”
Seattle’s first line continues to dominate, as Julia Gosling set up Carpenter’s 1-1 tying goal in the 2nd period, and Hilary Knight assisted Gosling’s go-ahead tally early in the 3rd. The latter survived a video review lasting more than six minutes.
The winning goal began with Carpenter being dumped, causing a delayed Victoire penalty.
Officials eventually concluded that while Montreal’s Marie-Philip Poulin (large circle) had touched the puck (small circle), she didn’t “possess” it, which by rule is the requirement to create a play-stopping whistle. (PWHL Screengrab)
More about this sequence in our 3rd Period recap below.
Seattle killed all four Montreal power plays, to also kill the Victoire’s four-game winning streak. Seattle finishes its five game homestand with three victories and two defeats, all five ending in regulation.
1st Period
Seattle’s blueline will look familiar to Montreal, as three defenders previously played for the Victoire. Cayla Barnes was Montreal’s first round pick in 2024, Anna Wilgren was chosen in the fifth round, and Mariah Keopple played 53 career games for Montreal.
Wilgren deftly intercepts a Montreal pass out of mid-air with her stick to help kill an early Victoire power play. By the final horn, Seattle will be 18-of-20 on the PK (90%) this season. The Torrent fire three shots on their first power play, including a Julia Gosling drive with Hilary Knight screening, and lead 11-4 in SOGs in the first 15 minutes.
Wilgren covers for her d-partner Barnes, when Barnes can’t hold a puck in at the Montreal line. Natálie Mlýnková breaks down ice, but Wilgren strips the puck from her. Not done, Wilgren intercepts a pass later in the same shift.
Montreal takes a 1-0 lead on an Abby Roque (pronounced “Rock”) rocket from the top of the left circle. It’s possible the shot ramped up off Gosling’s stick on the way past Murphy at 18:57. Impressive that four different Victoire touched the puck on the rush up ice.
Celebrity Roll Call
For those who don’t know (like me), this fan in attendance is season 15’s winner of the RuPaul’s Drag Race TV show.
So is Erica Wheeler of the WNBA Seattle Storm, rocking a Torrent “S” necklace so large Flavor Flav would be envious.
2nd Period
Regardless of who’s in net for the opposition, it’s trouble when Seattle’s top line skates in 2-on-1. Gosling shoots from the right circle, with Carpenter driving down the slot. Desbiens’ pad save kicks the rebound to Carpenter, and the goalie isn’t in position to stop enough of Carpenter’s rebound. Her 4th goal ties the game 1-1 at 3:32
At the other end Murphy makes a key save on Shiann Darkangelo’s close-in chance to keep the game tied.
Halfway through the period, Seattle has Montreal on its heels, packed in near their goalie while the Torrent pass like they’re on a power play. Soon enough, they are, because Laura Stacey is forced to take a hooking penalty, which the Victoire dispose of.
This year’s nominee for Most Convincing Flop goes to Montreal’s Maureen Murphy. Megan Carter’s after-the-whistle, oh so gentle push sends Murphy toppling over like a felled oak crashing in the forest. The ref buys it, calling Carter for “roughing.”
PWHL Screengrabs
Justice is served, as Seattle doesn’t give up a go-ahead goal. At the tail end of the period, Murphy makes her best save, staying with Alexandra Labelle’s wicked deflection.
Let’s call this inconsequential confusion. The Victoire are whistled for icing, but the clock ticks down the final second. Both teams are ready to head to their dressing rooms, until they’re summoned back for a final faceoff. Montreal was tilting the ice late in the period, in which they outshot Seattle, 15-8.
3rd Period
A crucial official review at 3:26. Julia Gosling appeared to give Seattle the lead during a delayed penalty on Montreal. The question was whether Marie-Philip Poulin possessed the puck before Hilary Knight knocked it off her stick a split-second later. Knight then roared in on goal, feeding Gosling cross-ice. The video review lasted 6:30, after which referee Sydney Harris announced, “We have a good goal.”
The last of four Torrent minor penalties was Carter’s hold with 2:43 remaining. Montreal pulled Desbiens for a 6-on-4 advantage. By our unofficial count, Murphy added five saves to her total to preserve the victory. The goalie was serenaded with chants of “Murphy, Murphy!” as she did a postgame TV interview.
Up Next
The Torrent head to Texas for their first-ever PWHL Takeover Tour game. Seattle will face the New York Sirens Sunday at Dallas’ American Airlines Center. The Torrent used two late power play goals to beat the Sirens 2-1 in the teams’ first meeting Dec. 3 at CPA.