Victoire players receive triumphant welcome on return to Montreal

Montreal Victoire captain Marie-Philip Poulin lifts the Walter Cup upon her arrival at the Verdun Auditorium, May 21, 2026. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Christopher Katsarov

Montreal’s Victoire has never lived up to its name more than now.

In its third season, the team lifted the Walter Cup with a 4-0 win over the Ottawa Charge on Wednesday. The following day, the players had barely recovered from the emotion as they arrived home to a triumphant welcome from fans outside the Verdun Auditorium.

“I’m super excited to be back here at home, to see our fans, our friends, our families. To have done this with incredible teammates like these — there’s nothing better,” said Victoire captain Marie-Philip Poulin, who had just stepped off the bus to chants of “Olé, olé, olé, olé” and was wearing the official champions’ cap and T-shirt of the Professional Women’s Hockey League (PWHL).

Still on cloud nine, the team’s star forward thanked fans for their support.

“We felt their energy all season long, especially in the playoffs. I want to thank them. It warms your heart,” she told them.

Young girls took advantage of their lunch hour at school to come congratulate their idols in person.

“Seeing the impact on these young girls is incredible. Having a small impact on them, giving them a dream — that’s something that pushes us every day,” said Poulin, noting that “women came before us and paved the way, like Kim St-Pierre and Caroline Ouellette.”

Goaltender Ann-Renée Desbiens — whom Poulin calls “a brick wall” — was also “really happy to be back home and share this with the fans.”

“It’s an incredible feeling to share this with such exceptional women. We want to experience this again, there’s no doubt about that,” said Desbiens, already thinking about next season.

For forward Alexandra Labelle, “it was the cherry on top of the sundae to win 4-0.” “It’s really special to win the Walter Cup with such a special group. We’ve been through so much,” she added.

Labelle was referring in part to the knee injury Poulin suffered at the Milan-Cortina Olympics in February.’

Poulin acknowledged the past few months have been difficult. Once again, she paid tribute to her teammates, who supported her through the tough times.

“As an athlete, there are highs and lows, mentally and physically. Since February it’s been tough, but when you come to the arena with teammates like these girls who lift you up day after day in the harder moments, it’s easy to come back. When you put on that jersey, it’s bigger than ourselves — it’s the whole city, the fans, the family and friends who’ve been there from the start.”

- By Sébastien Auger

- This report by The Canadian Press was first published in French on May 21, 2026.