Achi news desk-
Hockey star Marie-Philippe Poulin is motivated by the opportunity to compete in the playoffs, no matter the opponent.
The fact that Montreal will be facing a team from Boston in the Women’s Professional Hockey League postseason only adds fuel to the fire.
“Any time you have a chance to play in the playoffs against any team, it’s exciting,” Poulin, Montreal’s captain, said Wednesday at Verdun Auditorium. “It’s going to be even more special to play against Boston.”
The fierce rivalry between the Montreal Canadiens of the NHL and the Boston Bruins goes back decades. The PWHL will add another layer to it this week when Montreal hosts Boston in Game 1 of their best-of-five semifinal series Thursday night at Place Bell in Laval, Que.
Montreal coach Corey Shabrey, of New Glasgow, NS, says Boston is a rival no matter where you’re from.
“I don’t know how many teams really like Boston in any sport, in men’s hockey, women’s hockey, I don’t think they’re favorites,” Shabrey said.
Born and raised in Massachusetts, Montreal forward Jillian Dempsey finds herself on the other side of the game.
Dempsey played for Harvard University, the Boston Blades of the Canadian Hockey League and the Boston Pride of the Premier Hockey Federation. The 33-year-old is also a rabid Bruins fan who “grew up with the heated rivalry.”
“It’s a weird situation, but I’ve never played for a Boston team, so I don’t have anything there,” Dempsey said. “I’ve always been Boston over somebody my whole life, but this is my team this year.
“You know it’s going to be a great series when teams from Boston and Montreal battle it out.”
Boston captain Hilary Knight has seen it from both sides after playing for the Blades and Les Canadiennes de Montreal in the CWHL.
“It’s one of the better rivalries in professional sports,” Knight said.
Rivalry aside, it’s a close match. Montreal finished second in the regular season, six points ahead of third-place Boston, but the two teams went 1-1-1-1 in head-to-head games this season. Boston advanced to the playoffs with a dramatic 4-3 win over Montreal last Saturday.
Poland finished tied for second in league scoring with 23 points in 21 games to lead Montreal. Forward Laura Stacey and guard Erin Ambrose each added 18 points as part of a power play that found its groove late in the season, and Montreal comfortably held on to the playoffs all year.
Boston, meanwhile, was on the outside looking in before winning four of its last five games in regulation to enter the playoffs in the round.
“We’ve got to keep our momentum going,” Boston coach Courtney Kessel said Monday night. “We had a great finish and came hot after (the World Championship break), but it’s playoff hockey and anything can happen.”
The key to Montreal is clear: be prepared to be physical.
“Every time we play them, they finish every single hit,” Dempsey said. “It’s something we know is coming and that we can flip the script on them and be more physical.”
Game 2 is Saturday at Place Bell, followed by Game 3 and Game 4, if necessary, next Tuesday and Thursday at the Tsongas Center in Lowell, Massachusetts. Game 5 will be back in Valhalla on May 19.
The winner will face Toronto or Minnesota in the best-of-five final for the Walter Cup.
Duel goalkeepers
Inside the match is a duel between two of the best netminds in the world. Anne-Rene Desbiens, who held Canada to gold at the World Championships last month, takes the court in Montreal against American opener Erin Frankel.
Desbianes had an average season by her standards, finishing fifth with a .923 save percentage. Montreal, however, expects its No. 1 goaltender to deliver with the stakes higher.
“She’s definitely someone you want to have on the grid this time of year,” Shabrey said. “You can’t bet against her. She’s a gamer.”
Knights time?
Knight holds the World Series scoring record with 111 points, but the prolific numbers haven’t exactly translated to the PWHL. The 34-year-old sniper had six goals and five assists in 24 games this season and will need to be better for a Boston team that has produced a league-low 50 goals this season.
Poland still expects its old rival to be a handful.
“Over the years I’ve had a chance to sit in the front seat to see how much of a substitute she can be in these big games,” she said. “You see it in her eyes, you can see how competitive she is.”
Remarks
Montreal forward Sarah Bujold remained on Wednesday with an injury Wednesday afternoon. Reserve player Melody Daoust can sign one more 10-day contract during the playoffs. Montreal did not reveal if the 2018 Olympics MVP will be in the lineup for Game 1. Boston forward Lauren Gable and Taylor Girard are considered day-to-day.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published on May 8, 2024.
