Peter Smith to return as head coach of Montreal Force

Peter Smith will return as head coach of the Premier Hockey League's Montreal Force next season and the club has signed free-agent goaltender Lauren Bench to a one-year contract.

Katia Clement-Heydra also returns as Smith's assistant coach and Olivier Gervais joined the team as goaltender coach, the Force announced Friday.

Smith coached Montreal to an 8-14-2 record in its expansion year.

He was named head coach less than month before the start of the regular season.

"It was a priority for us to keep stability at the head coaching position," team president Kevin Raphael said in a statement.

"Peter and I share the same vision and I'm glad to have him back behind the bench.

Smith previously coached the McGill Martlets to four national university women's titles, and was assistant coach of Canadian women's teams that won Olympic gold in the 2006 and 2010 Olympic Games.

Bench, 25, spent last Sweden with Modo in Sweden where she won 14 of 26 games, posted a save percentage of .919 and a goals-against average of 2.29.

The Minnesotan split her college career between Bemidji State University and the University of Minnesota.