For the first time in the PWHL’s brief history, the Walter Cup Final will not include the Minnesota Frost.
Top-seed Montreal eliminated the two-time champions after Marie-Philip Poulin scored the deciding power-play goal in a 2-1 win in Game 5. Now the Victoire face fourth-seed Ottawa, which is exactly the matchup they wanted.
If you’re unfamiliar with the PWHL, the top seed chooses its semifinal opponent, and Montreal opted to face Minnesota over Ottawa despite the Frost finishing higher in the standings. The Victoire made that decision for two reasons. First, they went 4-0 against Minnesota during the regular season. Second, they believed either Boston would be worn down by Ottawa or the Charge would eliminate the Fleet altogether.
That proved accurate. Boston never beat Ottawa in regulation during the regular season, and the Fleet struggled with the Charge’s physical style throughout the semifinal series.
Of course, Montreal has learned before that overlooking Ottawa can be dangerous. Last season, the Victoire also selected the Charge as their semifinal opponent. Four games later, Montreal’s season was over.
Ottawa eventually lost to Minnesota in the Walter Cup Final, giving both teams added motivation entering this series. Montreal wants to avoid another upset against its francophone rivals, while Ottawa is looking to finish what it could not a year ago.
Let’s take a closer look at the Montreal Victoire vs. Ottawa Charge matchup.
Ottawa: Stay Out of the Box
Ottawa beat Boston largely because of its penalty kill. The Charge took more penalties than any team in the PWHL in 2025-26, and that trend continued against the Fleet.
The difference was that Ottawa killed off 15 of 16 penalties in the series. Gwyneth Phillips was outstanding in goal, while Boston struggled to adjust to Ottawa’s defensive pressure.
That approach becomes much riskier against Montreal, which finished with the second-best power play in the league. The Victoire will capitalize if Ottawa spends too much time shorthanded. The Charge still need to play physically, but they also have to avoid turning that aggression into unnecessary penalties.
Montreal: The Stars Have to Deliver
The Victoire need their top players to perform like top players. That has not consistently happened against Ottawa.
Last season, both Poulin and Laura Stacey struggled in the semifinal series, combining for just three points in four games while finishing a combined minus-5. The matchup problems continued this season. Stacey scored only once in four meetings against Ottawa, while Poulin recorded no points in her two home games against the Charge.
Ottawa is at its best when it can neutralize elite talent, and if that happens again, Montreal could be in trouble.
There are still reasons for optimism. Abby Roque, who was not part of last year’s roster, posted three points in three games against Ottawa this season. At the same time, Roque, Stacey and Poulin combined for a minus-6 rating against Minnesota despite totaling 12 points, showing the inconsistency that still exists within Montreal’s top group.
X-Factor: Goaltending
Both teams enter the final with elite goaltending.
Ann-Renee Desbiens led the PWHL with a 1.12 GAA during the regular season and was outstanding against Minnesota. In Montreal’s three wins, she allowed only two goals.
Phillips finished roughly a goal behind Desbiens statistically, though Ottawa also allowed far more quality chances defensively. She enters the final with a playoff-best .951 save percentage, and if that level continues, Ottawa gains a major advantage.
The series may ultimately come down to which team controls the pace. Montreal wants a more open game with higher shot totals. Ottawa would prefer a tighter, lower-event series.
Prediction
Ottawa finished the season playing excellent hockey, but the Charge still finished fourth for a reason. They do not quite match Montreal’s depth or star power.
The biggest question for Montreal is emotional recovery after finally getting past Minnesota. That was an exhausting hurdle to clear, and resetting mentally is not always easy.
Still, the Victoire hold too many advantages across the roster for that alone to swing the series.
Prediction: Montreal in five.
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