‘We let it slip away’: Montreal Victoire faces do-or-die Game 5 against Minnesota Frost

The Montreal Victoire could be bounced in Game 5 after the Minnesota Frost tied up the series Friday night in the opening round of the PWHL playoffs.

On the brink of elimination, the Frost rebounded with a 3-1 win in St. Paul, Minn., to stay alive for a final matchup.

Montreal’s Maureen Murphy notched the first goal of the night in the third period, but the Frost replied with a pair of back-to-back goals from Sidney Morin. With less than two minutes remaining, Minnesota’s Kelly Pannek scored on an empty net.

Victoire goaltender Ann-Renée Desbiens made 28 saves, while the Frost’s Maddie Rooney made 29 throughout the night.

“It’s playoff hockey so everyone is going to be pushing for their best and pushing to win games,” Victoire head coach Kori Cheverie told reporters after the loss.

“They were backed up against the wall and they gave us a good game. And I thought we gave them a good game, and I honestly thought we let it slip away.”

With the best-of-five series now tied 2-2, the teams will head back to Laval’s Place Bell for a final Game 5 (7 p.m., Prime).

“We’re excited to get back home,” Cheverie said, adding “there is no better place to try to win than in out front of our home crowd.”

The Frost are the two-time defending champions and the only team to win the league’s Walter Cup to date. The Frost initially led the series with a 5-4 overtime win in Game 1, only for the Victoire to tie it up in a thrilling 1-0 triple overtime win. The series then shifted to Minnesota, where Montreal pulled ahead with a 2-1 victory Thursday before the Frost tied it up again Friday.

The top-seeded Victoire is eyeing its first-ever championship. Montreal has made it to three playoffs in as many seasons, but it has yet to advance past the semifinal.

The winner of Monday’s night game will face either the Ottawa Charge or Boston Fleet, depending on the outcome of that series. The Charge is leading the series 2-1.

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