Rougeau nets shootout winner as Toronto edges Poulin, Montreal

MONTREAL — Toronto overcame two goals from superstar Marie-Philip Poulin and 36 saves from goaltender Ann-Renee Desbiens to snap a three-game losing streak Saturday night.

Lauriane Rougeau scored the shootout winner as Toronto edged Montreal 4-3 in the first Professional Women’s Hockey League game between the two rival cities.

Toronto had 39 shots to Montreal's 24 and heavily outshot its opponent for a second consecutive game after besting Boston 32-22 in a 3-2 loss Wednesday.

This time the more aggressive team came out with its second win of the young season.

"We played the way we want to play, we're hard to play against, we were all over them for a lot of the time,” forward Natalie Spooner said.

"It's early in the year, we're still trying to figure out some chemistry and sort some things out, but I do think we're trending in the right direction,” head coach Troy Ryan added about his team that remains last in the six-team PWHL standings. “I think this was just a continuation of last game."

Maggie Connors — with a goal and an assist — Spooner and Jocelyne Larocque scored in regulation for Toronto (1-1-0-4), while Rebecca Leslie earned two assists.

Kristen Campbell stopped 21 shots in her sixth start this season. Campbell entered the game with a league-worst .876 save percentage.

Poulin and Desbiens put forth heroic efforts in front of 3,232 fans at Verdun Auditorium.

Spooner scored with 1:24 left in the third period to give Toronto a late lead.

Then, with the goalie pulled, Poulin — known as “Captain Clutch” for shining late in games — took it into her own hands and produced a goal-of-the-year candidate.

The 32-year-old star corralled the puck from the neutral zone and danced through Toronto’s defence before tucking a