Three former Boston University women’s ice hockey players, Tamara Giaquinto, Nadia Mattivi, and Marie-Philip Poulin, helped the Montreal Victoire secure the 2026 Walter Cup Finals with a 3-1 series win over the Ottawa Charge, according to a May 20 announcement. Montreal claimed its first-ever Walter Cup after winning game four with a score of 4-0 following a scoreless first period.
The achievement marks the first time that Terriers have won the Walter Cup since it was established in 2023. Poulin contributed eight points in nine playoff games with two goals and six assists. She registered one assist in game four on Montreal’s opening goal and another assist in game two. Poulin recorded two multi-point games during the postseason, both against Minnesota Frost in the first round. Both of her playoff goals were decisive game winners: one came during triple overtime against Minnesota on May 5 and another early in the third period on May 12, which sent Montreal to the finals.
Mattivi appeared in all four games of the finals as a rookie defender for Montreal. She assisted on Montreal’s first goal in game two and was credited with five hits throughout those appearances.
Giaquinto did not play during the postseason but participated in twelve regular season games for Montreal as a rookie. During that time she achieved a plus-two rating, recorded eleven blocks, and was credited with one hit.
Rebecca Leslie also played an important role during this PWHL postseason for Ottawa Charge by scoring six points from four goals and two assists across eight games. Leslie forced a fourth game in the finals by scoring at 19:04 of the third period in game three; it was her fifth professional career game-winning goal but her first ever logged during playoffs. She finished her year having scored nine third-period goals—the most among all PWHL players.
