Poulin plays to Captain Clutch reputation, leading Montreal to face Ottawa in PWHL Walter Cup Finals
Montreal Victoire goalie Ann-Renee Desbiens admitted to experiencing goosebumps at the mere thought of envisioning teammate and captain Marie-Philip Poulin lifting the PWHL Walter Cup championship trophy. “She is a legend. She’s ‘Captain Clutch,’ the one and only one,” Desbiens said during a Zoom conference call with reporters on Wednesday.
“For me to witness that, I would be so lucky as a teammate to have this opportunity to share this moment with her because of everything she’s done, and because of everything she’s still doing. ” Poulin and the Victoire aren’t there yet in preparing to open their best-of-five Walter Cup Finals series. They host the Ottawa Charge on Thursday night.
What’s also true is the Victoire wouldn’t be making their first finals appearance if not for Poulin who, at 35, continues adding to the clutch reputation she earned by scoring three Olympic gold medal-clinching goals. Despite a lower-body injury limiting her ice time, Poulin delivered two winning goals — including the semifinal series clincher on Tuesday night — in Montreal’s five-game elimination of the two-time defending champion Minnesota Frost. Her other winner came in a 1-0 triple-OT decision in Game 2 .
In advancing, the Victoire avoided a repeat of their past two semifinal losses, and became the PWHL’s first higher-seeded team to win a playoff series in the league’s three seasons. “She is the best player in the world,” Victoire coach Kori Cheverie said, noting Poulin also blocked two shots in the closing minutes of Montreal’s 2-1 Game 5 win. “Our team is so proud of her.
And we’re lucky that she’s with us and continues to be a great captain. ” It’s the Charge standing in Montreal’s way in the PWHL’s first all-Canadian title matchup. Ottawa returns to the finals after losing in four games to Minnesota last year .