Sirens enter PWHL’s international break with loss to Montreal

NEWARK, N.J. — Marie-Philip Poulin scored two goals, Ann-Renée Desbiens made 23 saves on 24 shots and the Montréal Victoire beat the New York Sirens 2-1 Sunday in the final PWHL game heading into the league’s second break for international play.

The Victoire won their fifth straight game while Poulin’s two goals, her ninth and 10th, added to her league-leading total and Desbiens earned her league-leading eighth win in goal and her fifth straight victory. She had seven wins last season.

Montréal is 8-3-1-2 with 31 points to lead the PWHL standings, six more than second-place Minnesota.

The teams skated to a scoreless draw through one period but Poulin wasted little time giving the Victoire the lead with a deft backhand goal 34 seconds into the second.

She got her second goal four minutes later on a breakaway. Desbiens cleared a puck behind the Montréal net to Jennifer Gardner, who whipped a crisp pass to Abby Boreen at the blue line. Boreen found Poulin deep in the slot and the Victoire captain lifted a shot over New York keeper Kayle Osborne.

Poulin put a hard hit on New York’s Jade Downie-Landry, who went down in a heap with 6:12 left in the second period. After a lengthy review Poulin was given a five-minute major penalty for charging and New York had a lengthy power play.

Desbiens stonewalled the Sirens, however.

The Sirens (4-23-2-5, 20 points) got their lone goal with 6:07 left on Allyson Simpson’s first PWHL goal but could not convert on a power-play opportunity in the final four minutes and with a player advantage after pulling Osborne for an extra attacker over the final 2:30.

The league’s break accommodates several international competitions, including the “Rivalry Series” between Canada and the United States.

League play resumes February 11 with Minnesota playing at Toronto.