LAVAL — If you were to look up the top playoff scorer in Montreal Victoire history, it wouldn’t be Marie-Philip Poulin, or even Laura Stacey.
That honour would go to third-year forward Maureen Murphy.
Her five points in seven Professional Women’s Hockey League playoff games is two more than Poulin, and her three goals in those situations is one more than the player known as “Captain Clutch.”
Murphy, who scored two goals in Montreal’s 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’s perhaps not a surprise that most Victoire games have felt like playoff games this season. Montreal’s 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.
“I’d much prefer to win 4-0. I think it makes it a lot easier for me to focus on just doing what’s best for the team,” said Murphy. “Sometimes, especially if you’re not scoring, it’s easy to get sidetracked by yourself, which is not a recipe for success, and it doesn’t make me feel like a good person.
“I’ve been trying to do what’s best for the team, and sometimes you get rewarded, sometimes you don’t, but I think it’s great practice for when we get there.”
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.
“I think you need a bounce every once in a while,” said Montreal head coach Kori Cheverie. “You need something to go in for you.”
“I think it was the goal last game that tilted in her favour and went in the net.”
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’s all-time leading goal scorer.
“That was just a funny joke because I obviously hadn’t scored in a while,” said Murphy. “We never, ever run that play on that side.
“Before we went out there, one of our coaches was like, yep, we’re going to run it on this side.”
One of the reasons they don’t 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.
This time, it was Tabin and right-handed Erin Ambrose which Murphy said changed the dynamic.
In addition to Murphy’s 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.
“As a teammate, you have the opportunity to see all the work the players put in behind the scenes, whether it’s in practice, as a teammate, in the locker room,” said Desbiens. “Maureen is an excellent teammate, someone who puts the team first … To see someone finally rewarded after getting so many chances, it’s fun to see that.”
Added Cheverie: “You’re happy for a player like that who puts in the hard work every single day.”
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Jan. 25, 2026.
Jared Book, The Canadian Press
