Montréal Victoire Win First PWHL Title, Defeat Ottawa Charge in Walter Cup Final

The Montréal Victoire are the 2026 PWHL champions.Montréal captured their first Walter Cup title on Wednesday night, defeating the Ottawa Charge 4–0 in Game 4 of the best-of-five Walter Cup Final at the Canadian Tire Centre. The victory clinched the series 3–1 for the Victoire.

Abby Roque led the way with two goals, while Maggie Flaherty and Lina Ljungblom each added one. Goaltender Ann-Renée Desbiens was outstanding, turning aside all 23 shots for a championship-clinching shutout.

Final Series Recap

Montréal opened the series strongly at home with two overtime victories. After dropping Game 3 by a 2–1 score in Ottawa on Monday night, the Victoire responded with a dominant road performance in Game 4 to close out the series. The win ended a streak in which the home team had won the previous five Walter Cup Final games.“Just so much love for this group,” Roque said after the game. “The things we have battled through these playoffs — it was just out of this world the amount of heart on this team. I love everybody and I couldn’t be prouder.”

Historic Achievement

This championship is a milestone for Canadian hockey. It marks the first time a Canadian team has won the Walter Cup. The Minnesota Frost had claimed the first two titles in league history, including a four-game victory over Ottawa last season. Montréal advanced to the final this year after defeating Minnesota in the semifinals.Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney congratulated the team on social media, writing:

“Congratulations to the Montreal Victoire, the 2026 PWHL Walter Cup champions! An incredible and historic season — the Cup comes home for the first time.”

PWHL Playoff MVP

Montréal captain Marie-Philip Poulin was named the Ilana Kloss Playoff MVP. The veteran forward led the postseason with eight points (2 goals, 6 assists), tying the league record for points in a single playoff run.With this victory, the Montréal Victoire cap off an outstanding season as deserving champions. The Walter Cup will remain in Canada for the first time in league history.