The Montreal Victoire's struggles continued on Friday night, as they dropped their third consecutive game in regulation, falling 4-3 to the New York Sirens at the Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey. The loss was compounded by the emotional return of forward Jade Downie-Landry, who faced her former team for the first time.
Goaltending Duel Tilts in New York's Favor
The story of the game was written in the crease. New York's Kayle Osborne was spectacular, turning aside 42 Montreal shots to backstop her team to victory. Her performance drew direct praise from the opposition's bench. "Osborne is obviously a great goaltender. We couldn't seem to get one by her," lamented Montreal head coach Kori Cheverie after the final buzzer.
Cheverie elaborated on her team's recurring offensive frustrations. "It seems like every game there's a couple of posts, a couple of empty nets, a couple of pucks that just trickle by, and that was part of the tale tonight as well," she said. The Victoire, missing their star netminder Ann-Renée Desbiens who had the day off, started Sandra Abstreiter. She stopped 17 of 21 shots for an .809 save percentage.
Scoring Summary and a Late Rally Falls Short
The Sirens built their lead on goals from Anna Bargman, Kristin O'Neill, Kristyna Kaltounkova, and Paetyn Levis. Montreal's offense was provided by Laura Stacey, captain Marie-Philip Poulin, and Natalie Mlynkova.
The Victoire made a frantic push at the end, pulling Abstreiter for an extra attacker. The gamble paid off when Mlynkova found the back of the net with just 25 seconds remaining in the third period. However, Montreal could not complete the comeback, failing to net the equalizer before time expired.
Emotional Night for Returning Players
The game held special significance for two Victoire players. Jade Downie-Landry was activated from long-term injured reserve earlier in the day and made her season debut for Montreal. In her first game back from injury, she logged 8:44 of ice time and registered one shot against the club she once played for.
She wasn't the only one facing former teammates. Forward Abby Roque also joined Montreal from New York this season. Both players acknowledged the emotional weight of the contest. To make room for Downie-Landry, rookie forward Maya Labad was placed on the team's reserve player list. Third-string goalie Megan Warrener also dressed for her first game of the season.
With the defeat, the Victoire have slipped to fifth place in the Professional Women's Hockey League standings. While Coach Cheverie sees positive signs in the team's ability to generate chances, she pinpointed the missing piece. "I really like the direction we're heading in in terms of what we're able to create, but there is still a part missing that we need to be able to finish," she stated. The team will look to solve that finishing problem and snap their skid in their next outing.
