Poulin ready for Olympics following Victoire’s 3-0 win over Sceptres

By Canadian Press on January 29, 2026.

LAVAL — Marie-Philip Poulin is heading to her fifth Olympic Games under different circumstances from her previous four.

After scoring a goal in the Montreal Victoire’s 3-0 win over the Toronto Sceptres on Wednesday night, the Canadian captain will fly to Italy on Thursday for the Winter Games.

The launch of the Professional Women’s Hockey League has changed both Canada and the United States’ women’s hockey teams preparations for the Olympics. What used to be a six-month build up for the Games has turned into a quick turnaround from league play to international play, similar to what the NHL has had.

Poulin noted that in the past they would never play a game the night before a flight.

“There’s no better way to prepare, to be able to practice and play with the best and against the best,” said Poulin. “Yes, it’s different, but different doesn’t mean it’s not good.”

“The lead up to the Olympics felt a lot different than it has in the past,” said Sceptres defender Renata Fast. “I couldn’t be more excited to get on that plane with this group and really get into Olympic mode.”

Canada’s head coach Troy Ryan — also the Sceptres’ bench boss — is used to having a hands-on approach through the six-month grind to the Olympics, but will now have only a few days with the group back together before their first game against Finland on Feb. 5.

“The biggest challenge now is probably not trying to overdo it when we get over there,” Ryan said. “It’s probably a simple game plan executed well that sets us up for the best chances of success.

“It’s truly a short-term event now.”

While Canada and the United States are used to preparing for the Olympics among each other, the PWHL is also providing an opportunity for players from other countries to bring that experience with them as they try to narrow the gap.

“It’s huge,” said Victoire forward Natalie Mlynkova, who also scored in Wednesday’s win and will be representing Czechia. “Being able to practice against the best players every day, I find it is an advantage and I’m sure my teammates do too.

“We made such a huge jump in the last four years and we want to give them a little hell out there and put up a good matchup against the best teams.”

After Wednesday’s game, all the players heading to the Olympics were honoured on the ice in a sendoff ceremony. All 18 players between the two teams skated out to centre ice.

“It’s pretty awesome to jump on that ice and to see all the Olympians that will play for different countries,” Poulin said. “That’s what this league is all about. We want to grow the game all together, we get to go to the Olympics all together, and we wear different jerseys but at the end of the day, we want everybody to succeed and do well.”

DESBIENS ENTERING OLYMPIC MODE

The last time that Ryan saw Montreal goaltender Ann-Renee Desbiens like this was in the lead up to the 2022 Olympics. While Ryan wasn’t thrilled that Canada’s starting goaltender shut out his Sceptres team with 22 saves on Wednesday, he will be happy to be on her side when the wheels are up on their flight.

“She just looked dialed in a lot of that year,” Ryan said. “Obviously, at the Olympics looked really confident so it’s great to see her with that swagger.”

The 31-year-old was 5-0 in Beijing and is a perfect 6-0 in her Olympic career with a 1.50 goals-against average and .946 save percentage. Desbiens enters the Olympic break leading the PWHL’s starting goaltenders in GAA (1.15), and save percentage (. 954). She also is tied for the lead in wins (nine) and shutouts (three).

“I haven’t seen her this dialed in,” said Montreal head coach Kori Cheverie, who will be an assistant on Ryan’s staff in Italy. “She’s at the top of her game right now, and it’s lucky for us with Montreal, and lucky for us with Team Canada.”

“You can just see it in her eyes when she’s on a mission,” Ryan said.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Jan. 29, 2026.

Jared Book, The Canadian Press