CWHL Playoffs: Les Canadiennes Infuriate Toronto

Montreal Scores Five Goals to Win Game 1 of Semi-Final Series

SportsJordan Stoopler — Published February 27, 2016 | Updated February 27, 2016 at 2:11pm

The team was led offensively by Canadian Women’s Hockey League leading scorer Marie-Philip Poulin, who scored two goals and added two assists. Veteran teammate Caroline Ouellette also scored twice in the win.

“The leaders of the team both on and off the ice do an excellent job night in and night out,” said Canadiennes head coach Dany Brunet. “Offensively, we saw a lot of them tonight and they made a difference in the hockey game.”

The teams will meet again on Saturday afternoon for Game 2 of the best-of-three series. For the Canadiennes, a win would book their spot in the Clarkson Cup final against teams from either Brampton or Calgary. The Furies need a victory to keep their hopes alive.

“Toronto is a physical team that will not give up,” Ouellette said. “We have to build off what we did in the second and third periods. We like the position that we are in right now, but it is crucial that we start the right way.”

“We can take away some positives and hopefully build on those for tomorrow,” said Furies forward Natalie Spooner. “It is do or die tomorrow so we have to bring our best game. If we can put together a complete game tomorrow, we have a chance.”

The Canadiennes did get off to a slow start in the first period. While Montreal had 14 shots on the opposing net, they were not able to capitalize on their scoring chances and often looked frazzled on the ice. Brunet made sure his players got the message that a change in their play was needed.

“We talked in the locker room after the first about how we started off a little nervous and that we were playing on our heels too much,” Brunet said. “We are better when we are the aggressors and when we apply pressure on our opponent. We didn’t do that in the first period, but we made adjustments in the second period and we really saw a difference.”

“It definitely wasn’t the start that we wanted to have,” said Ouellette. “We knew that we were better than that. We had to play with more passion and more intensity. That is what we did starting in the second.”

The team heeded their coach’s message in the second period. Forward Ann-Sophie Bettez was the beneficiary of a pass from linemate Kim Deschenes, and went on to score the game’s opening goal, which seemed to be all the team needed to get back on track. Ouellette added a pair of goals before the period was over.

It was the Poulin show from then on.

She scored twice in the early stages of the third period to put the game out of reach. Furies forward Natalie Spooner did score to cut to lead to 5-1 midway through the third, but it was too-little-too-late for Toronto.

Puck drop is at 5 p.m. at the Bell Sports Complex in Brossard, south of Montreal.