The Montreal Victoire captured their first Walter Cup championship on Wednesday, May 20, 2026, with a 4-0 victory over the Ottawa Charge at the Canadian Tire Centre in Ottawa.
The win gave Montreal a 3-1 series victory in the best-of-five PWHL finals.
Abby Roque led the offense with two goals, while goaltender Ann-Renee Desbiens stopped all 23 shots she faced for her first shutout of the finals.
The championship marks a historic milestone for Montreal after two early postseason exits in previous years.
Montreal captain Marie-Philip Poulin added the PWHL title to her illustrious career, which includes three Olympic gold medals, two Olympic silvers, and two Clarkson Cups.
She was awarded the Ilana Kloss Trophy as postseason MVP.
"It was quite a year with so many ups and downs, but I am so happy to win the cup with this group," Poulin said in French.
The game drew over 12,300 spectators for the first Walter Cup presentation on Canadian soil.
Montreal head coach Kori Cheverie became the first female coach to win the trophy; a male coach had won with Minnesota in the league's first two seasons.
"It's fantastic! We worked so hard.
I lifted the trophy as a coach, but it's the whole group on the ice that won it tonight.
There is something really special about this group," Cheverie said.
Both teams started nervously, with imprecise passing and broken plays. Ottawa's Nadia Mattivi was penalized for boarding Fanuza Kadirova, but Montreal's power play did not score.
Ottawa created two chances early in the second period, including a three-on-two rush where Sarah Wozniewicz shot over the net.
Montreal broke the scoreless tie when Roque's shot from near the boards deflected off Ottawa defenseman Rory Guilday's stick and past goaltender Gwyneth Philips.
Wozniewicz later hit the right post, and Emily Clark failed on a breakaway against Desbiens.
Ottawa started the third period aggressively but could not generate clear chances.
Montreal doubled its lead during a penalty to Poulin for obstruction when Roque beat Brianne Jenner and slipped a backhand past Philips.
Prior to that, Jenner had been stopped twice by Desbiens on an Ottawa power play.
Maggie Flaherty made it 3-0 with a one-timer from the blue line that changed trajectory before beating Philips.
Lina Ljungblom scored the final goal with less than five minutes left after capitalizing on a defensive turnover by Jenner in front of the Ottawa net.
The loss marks Ottawa's second consecutive finals defeat.
Meanwhile, the Montreal Canadiens are competing in the NHL Stanley Cup playoffs, having advanced to the Eastern Conference Finals against the Carolina Hurricanes.
