Montreal Victoire clinch playoff spot with win over Minnesota Frost
Daryl Watts leads Toronto Sceptres to victory vs. Boston Fleet
Marie-Philip Poulin and Laura Stacey each scored two goals to help the Montreal Victoire secure the first PWHL playoff spot this season after a 4-1 victory over the Minnesota Frost on Wednesday night in St. Paul, Minn.
Montreal (11-6-3-6) moved into sole possession of first place in the standings after its first regulation win in its last six road games (1-1-2-2). Toronto had pulled into a first-place tie earlier in the evening with a win against Boston to reach 45 points.
Minnesota (7-5-4-10) was back at home for the first time in 36 days. The Frost have scored just 13 goals over the last seven games, with five of those coming in a win over Ottawa on March 7.
Poulin increased her league-leading total to 17 goals. It was her 11th game this season with at least one goal and three shots on goal, most in the league.
WATCH | Stacey leads Victoire to win over Frost:
Stacey also had two assists for her first four-point game of her career.
Victoire goalie Elaine Chuli stopped 19 of 20 shots for the win.
The teams alternated wins and losses in their previous five meetings this season, with the Victoire earning a 2-1 shootout win in the last contest March 4.
Sceptres 4, Fleet 2
Daryl Watts scored two of Toronto's four goals in the third period to increase her total to 10 on the season, and the Sceptres beat the Boston Fleet 4-2.
Toronto (12-2-5-7) has won five of its last six road games (4-1-0-1).
Boston (8-6-4-7) had its nine-game points streak come to an end in its return to Agganis Arena after debuting at the Boston University venue March 8 in front of a sold-out crowd of 5,968.
Toronto scored two goals in a span of one minute, 34 seconds in the third to take a 2-1 lead. Watts tied it at 1-all when she controlled the puck behind the net and sent it off goaltender Aerin Frankel's skates. Hayley Scamurra added her first goal of the season on a deflection.
WATCH | Sceptres' Watts scores twice in win over Fleet:
Renata Fast gave Toronto its third straight goal on a shot between the pads of Frankel to increase her league-lead to six goals by a defender.
After Hilary Knight scored her second goal of the game — and 15th of the season — for Boston, Watts added her second on a 5-on-3 power play with 3:34 left to seal it.
Each of the five games this season between the teams has been decided by multiple goals, with the winner scoring at least three goals in each. Toronto leads the league with nine multi-goal wins, followed by Boston with seven.
