LAVAL, QC (January 29, 2025) – Marie-Philip Poulin scored the season’s first hat trick and rookie Jennifer Gardiner had a career-high goal and two assists to secure a 4-1 win for the Montréal Victoire over the Ottawa Charge at Place Bell. Montréal has triumphed in all four matchups with Ottawa this season and, with their third straight victory, have regained the league lead over Minnesota with 26 points in the standings. Midway through the first period, Tereza Vanišová scored the first and only goal for Ottawa, giving them a brief 1-0 lead going into the second period. Montréal scored three goals in the span of 8:02 in the middle frame, beginning with a Poulin one-timer at 2:10, followed by a Gardiner breakaway snipe at 7:31 which held as the game-winner. The Victoire captain added her second goal at 10:12 of the middle frame on the power play and completed the hat trick into the empty net at 16:16 of the third. Ann-Renée Desbiens stopped 31 shots for her league-leading seventh win of the season. Charge rookie Gwyneth Philips got the start and allowed three goals on 12 shots. She was relieved by Emerance Maschmeyer who turned aside all 20 shots she faced.
