LAVAL - If you were to look up the top playoff scorer in Montreal Victoire history, it wouldn鈥檛 be Marie-Philip Poulin, or even Laura Stacey.聽
That honour would go to third-year forward Maureen Murphy.聽
Her five points in seven Professional Women鈥檚 Hockey League playoff games is two more than Poulin, and her three goals in those situations is one more than the player known as 鈥淐aptain Clutch.鈥
Murphy, who scored two goals in Montreal鈥檚 3-1 win over the Ottawa Charge on Saturday afternoon, now has three goals over her last two games after going 19 straight regular-season games without scoring, a drought dating back to last season. She led the Victoire with two goals in their four-game playoff series loss to the Charge last year.
It鈥檚 perhaps not a surprise that most Victoire games have felt like playoff games this season. Montreal鈥檚 win on Saturday snapped a streak of eight-straight one-goal games the team has played, tying a league record. Ten of the 12 PWHL playoff games last year were one-goal games.聽
鈥淚鈥檇 much prefer to win 4-0. I think it makes it a lot easier for me to focus on just doing what鈥檚 best for the team," said Murphy. 鈥淪ometimes, especially if you鈥檙e not scoring, it鈥檚 easy to get sidetracked by yourself, which is not a recipe for success, and it doesn鈥檛 make me feel like a good person.聽
"I鈥檝e been trying to do what鈥檚 best for the team, and sometimes you get rewarded, sometimes you don鈥檛, but I think it鈥檚 great practice for when we get there.鈥
Murphy's two goals on Saturday were on shots where she beat Ottawa goaltender Gwyneth Philips, but the goal that she scored in Minnesota last Wednesday bounced in off of her.
鈥淚 think you need a bounce every once in a while,鈥 said Montreal head coach Kori Cheverie. 鈥淵ou need something to go in for you.鈥
鈥淚 think it was the goal last game that tilted in her favour and went in the net.鈥
Murphy has scored in both games the team has played since being in Washington D.C., where Alex Ovechkin showed up to their practice. Her second goal on Saturday was a one-timer from the left face-off circle, and according to goaltender Ann-Renee Desbiens, she called herself "Ovi" after the NHL鈥檚 all-time leading goal scorer.
鈥淭hat was just a funny joke because I obviously hadn鈥檛 scored in a while,鈥 said Murphy. 鈥淲e never, ever run that play on that side.
鈥淏efore we went out there, one of our coaches was like, yep, we鈥檙e going to run it on this side.鈥
One of the reasons they don鈥檛 run the play to that side on the second power-play unit is because the two defenders, Maggie Flaherty and Kati Tabin, usually on the second unit are left-handed shots.聽
This time, it was Tabin and right-handed Erin Ambrose which Murphy said changed the dynamic.
In addition to Murphy鈥檚 19-game regular-season scoring drought, she had one goal in her previous 28 regular season games before this recent run of three goals in two games.
鈥淎s a teammate, you have the opportunity to see all the work the players put in behind the scenes, whether it鈥檚 in practice, as a teammate, in the locker room,鈥 said Desbiens. 鈥淢aureen is an excellent teammate, someone who puts the team first 鈥 To see someone finally rewarded after getting so many chances, it鈥檚 fun to see that.鈥
Added Cheverie: 鈥淵ou鈥檙e happy for a player like that who puts in the hard work every single day."
This report by 好色tvwas first published Jan. 25, 2026.
