Marie-Philip Poulin hat trick lifts Montreal Victoire past Ottawa Charge

Marie-Philip Poulin regularly tees up shot after shot at the end of practices.

On Wednesday night in Laval, Que., the Montreal Victoire captain put those reps to good use and sparked her team to victory.

Trailing 1-0 after Montreal's sloppy first period, Poulin cranked up the energy early in the second by unleashing a blistering one-timer to even the score.

The Victoire kept rolling from there.

Poulin scored twice more for a hat trick, leading her red-hot team past the Ottawa Charge 4-1 on Wednesday night in the Professional Women's Hockey League.

"That goal turned the tides of the entire game," head coach Kori Cheverie said. "Pou has the ability to do that, and I'm glad she shot that puck that hard.

"I'm really happy that all that one-timer work she puts in at the end of practice came to fruition tonight."

The goal came after Emily Clark, with a chance to double Ottawa's lead, hit the post on a breakaway at the other end of the ice.

Jennifer Gardiner then played the pass to Poulin on a two-on-one rush. The next thing Gardiner heard was the sound of the crowd at Place Bell — and a loud "Ping!" from Poulin's wicked release going off the crossbar and in.

"I asked if there was a shot clock in the net for that one," Gardiner said. "I don't think anybody saw it, we just heard it and knew it went in.

"When she's teed up, it's probably going in."

WATCH | Poulin's hat trick leads PWHL-leading Victoire past Charge:

Marie-Philip Poulin's hat trick leads PWHL-leading Victoire past Charge

With the win, Montreal (7-2-1-2) leapfrogged Minnesota for first place in the six-team PWHL despite playing three fewer games.

Poulin took the league's scoring lead with eight goals.

Gardiner provided the rest of the offence with a goal and two