MONTRÉAL AT TORONTO DEC. 21 PRE-GAME PRIMER
Saturday, December 21, 2024 | 2:00 p.m. ET | Coca-Cola Coliseum
WATCH LIVE: CBC TV, CBC Gem, cbcsports.ca, ICI TÉLÉ & ICI TOU.TV, PWHL YouTube and thepwhl.com (U.S. / International)
EN: Daniella Ponticelli (Play-by-Play), Becky Kellar (Analyst), Anastasia Bucsis (Reporter), Andi Petrillo (Studio Host), Hailey Salvian (Studio Analyst), Saroya Tinker (Studio Analyst);
FR: Roseline Filion (Host), Stéphanie Poirier (Analyst), Isabelle Leclaire (Analyst), Michael Roy (Commentator), Christine Roger (Reporter).
MONTRÉAL VICTOIRE
1-1-0-1 | 5 PTS | 4TH PLACE
Top Scorers: Cayla Barnes, Abby Boreen, Jennifer Gardiner, Mikyla Grant-Mentis (2 PTS)
Last Game: 2-1 W at OTT on Dec. 6
TORONTO SCEPTRES
1-0-0-3 | 3 PTS | 6TH PLACE
Top Scorers: Hannah Miller (2G, 2A) & Renata Fast (4A)
Last Game: 4-2 L at NY on Dec. 18
2024 SEASON SERIES: TORONTO WON 13-2 IN POINTS
Jan. 20 at MTL: 4-3 TOR (SO) | Feb. 16 at TOR: 3-0 TOR | Mar. 8 at TOR: 3-0 TOR | Mar. 17 at MTL (PITT): 2-1 TOR | Apr. 20 at MTL: 3-2 TOR (OT)
WHAT YOU SHOULD KNOW
Toronto did not lose a single game against Montréal last season, earning three regulation wins, an overtime win and the league’s first-ever shootout win. It was the only PWHL matchup last season in which the same team won every game.
In their lone road game this season, Montréal scored a 2-1 regulation win at Ottawa. Montréal has 21 points all-time in road games, tying them with Toronto for the most in the PWHL.
Marie-Philip Poulin’s shorthanded goal in the win over Ottawa was Montréal’s first-ever Jailbreak Goal on the road. The team’s only other SHG also came vs. Ottawa (Claire Dalton, Feb. 24).
Laura Stacey, who represented Team Ontario as a youth player, will be playing her sixth career game against Toronto. Stacey’s one point (assist) in the matchup is her fewest against any opposing PWHL team while the Sceptres are also the only opposing team against whom Stacey hasn’t scored a goal.
Mikyla Grant-Mentis will play her first game in Toronto as a member of the Victoire. The Brampton, ON native recorded two assists as a member of the Ottawa Charge at Mattamy Athletic Centre on Jan. 13.
Toronto has scored multiple goals in all four games this season and in eight consecutive regular-season games dating back to last season. The eight-game streak ties the Sceptres with New York for the longest active streak in the PWHL.
Hannah Miller and Emma Woods each had a goal and an assist against New York on Wednesday. It was the first time Toronto had multiple players do so in the same game since Apr. 28, also against New York (Rebecca Leslie & Natalie Spooner).
Miller (3G, 1A) and Sarah Nurse (2G, 2A) led Toronto with four points each against Montréal last season.
The five games of this matchup last season were played before 55,026 fans including record-setting attendances at Scotiabank Arena (19,285) and the Bell Centre (21,105).
Raygan Kirk will make her first career PWHL start after debuting in the third period of Wednesday’s game, where she stopped all nine shots. Toronto’s 7th Rd. draft pick won two NCAA titles with Ohio State, including the 2024 championship with a 1-0 shutout alongside Sceptres defender Lauren Bernard and Montréal’s Cayla Barnes and Jennifer Gardiner.
WHAT THEY’RE SAYING
“Last year, Toronto had our number. We spoke about it with the team, and how we need to have pride when we wear our jersey. We need to have the proper state of mind to play them. We know they will bring their best, and we will need to match and even surpass that.” - Victoire Head Coach Kori Cheverie.
“As we head into our last game before the holiday break, we are looking to get back on track. We know we can play better than what we’ve shown so far this season. We are up for the challenge and eager to give our fans something to be excited about and send a message to the league on who we are as a team. It should be a lot of fun and I trust we will show up and be ready to go.” – Sceptres captain Blayre Turnbull.
SATURDAY’S GAME: The Sceptres are hosting a Cancer Awareness game in support of all those affected by the disease, including many families and friends of Toronto players and staff, including Sceptres alumna Erica Howe. Howe retired from professional hockey in the offseason, and later in the summer was diagnosed with breast cancer. Awareness materials are available inside Coca-Cola Coliseum from the Canadian Cancer Society, along with various fundraising initiatives, including Howe’s Hockey Fights Cancer Assist, with money going towards cancer research. Additionally, Howe's fellow firefighters from the Mississauga Fire Department are doing a Fill the Boot drive at the top of section 103, with proceeds going to Erica and Trillium Health Partners. Bravado Designs, the Official Bra Partner of the PWHL, is donating $60,000 worth of bras to accompany fan donations to shelters across the GTA. The Inaugural Six — a striking work of art crafted with hockey sticks used in Season One, created by Briony Douglas— will be on display.
