Montreal Clinches Top PWHL Playoff Seed

Marie-Philip Poulin scored twice, including a goal just 11 seconds into the game, to lead Montreal to a 3-2 victory over New York, securing the top seed for the Professional Women's Hockey League (PWHL) playoffs. Montreal clinched first place with an assist from Ottawa, who defeated Toronto 2-1 in overtime earlier that day, preventing Toronto from taking the top spot. Poulin finished the regular season as the league’s leading scorer with 19 goals. Montreal will now choose its first-round playoff opponent between third-seeded Ottawa and defending champion Minnesota, while Toronto, as the second seed, will face the remaining team. New York's Sarah Fillier and Alex Carpenter scored late to close the gap, but Montreal held on through a dramatic final scramble. The win establishes Montreal as the team to beat entering the PWHL playoffs.