Laura Stacey scores in OT as Victoire hang on to beat Fleet

With 2:50 remaining in the third period, the Montreal Victoire had a 2-0 lead, were on the power play, and appeared well on their way to a convincing Professional Women's Hockey League victory at Place Bell on Monday night in Laval, Que.

Then the hosts surrendered two goals in 39 seconds to the resilient Boston Fleet, including a short-handed marker, and were looking at overtime with 2:07 remaining.

"We've learned a lot of valuable lessons the past two games," said Montreal head coach Kori Cheverie. "The players who were on the ice for the two [late] goals, they know, they feel it."

Forward Laura Stacey scored with 42.7 seconds remaining in overtime to give the Victoire a 3-2 victory in front of 8,812 fans.

It was Stacey's 11th goal of the season and fourth game-winner as Montreal (11-7-3-8) secured home-ice advantage in the opening round of the PWHL playoffs.

"I think it was a collective 'take a deep breath,"' said Stacey. "A bunch of the girls were like `we got this, this is still our game.' Of course it sucks getting scored on twice when you're up 2-0 and you feel that win coming.

WATCH | Victoire defeat Fleet to lock down home-ice advantage:

"That belief in each other, belief in the room, the trust, we've had it all year long and we've known it and we've had that resilience but it takes moments like that to really realize it, to really own it. That's what makes all the difference."

Montreal opened the scoring on the power play when Jennifer Gardiner came off the bench to knock in the rebound after Abby Boreen's shot rang off the post. The goal came on the Victoire's third power play of the game.

It was Gardiner's fifth goal of the season, and the first PWHL goal allowed by Boston goaltender Klara Peslarova, making her second start and third appearance. Boston (9-6-5-9) would have clinched a playoff spot with a win, but will have to wait to punch their ticket. Peslarova made 33 saves in the loss.

Montreal's power play struck again with 15:12 remaining in the third period when Catherine Dubois tipped a Maureen Murphy shot for her fifth goal of the season.

Boston cut the lead to 2-1 with 2:46 remaining with a short-handed goal by Hannah Brandt. The goal was reviewed to determine whether it went in the net before it was dislodged. It was her third goal of the season.

Hannah Bilka tied the game just 39 seconds later when she fired a shot past Ann-Renee Desbiens with 2:07 left in regulation time.

"There was a lot of ownership with and among the smaller groups that we talked to," Cheverie said. "When you have that buy in, when they have a mission, when they have a code they want to follow, it's easy to refocus on what their plan is.

"Today was powerful for our group and it did allow us to refocus in that moment where it could have ended up the other way."

"The way the team regrouped, it's not an easy thing to do after being scored on twice going into OT," said Stacey. "We pulled it together, we found a way. Good teams find a way.

"That's exactly what we did here tonight, and we need to build from it, grow from it, and use it as motivation not only for the next game but now that we're on home ice in the playoffs, too."

Overtime is nothing new between these two teams. Counting playoffs, 10 of the 13 games between the two rivals — and eight of the last nine — have needed to be solved after regulation time.

"We never seem to have an easy game here," said Fleet head coach Courtney Kessel. "Another overtime."

One of the reasons for Montreal's second-half slide is the lack of scoring from players not on their top line. On Monday, the second power-play unit was on the ice for both goals, even though the first one was scored by Gardiner, who plays on the top unit, after she came on late after a line change.

"Playoffs are won with your third and fourth lines and your depth scoring, and the unsung heroes. I think we have a lot of those in the making," said Cheverie.

"Our second power-play unit was incredible tonight, made a huge difference," said Stacey. "If we have all the players playing the right way, the goals will come and I think that's what we're starting to see."

The win was netminder Desbiens' league-leading 14th of the season. Desbiens was making her first league start since getting injured on March 18 in Boston. She returned to play at the women's world championship tournament, playing four games for Canada. She continues to lead all qualified goaltenders in both goals-against average and save percentage. Desbiens made 27 saves Monday.