From rivals to linemates: Victoire’s Marie-Philip Poulin, Abby Roque form dynamic duo

By Canadian Press on January 4, 2026.

LAVAL —
Marie-Philip Poulin and Abby Roque were never meant to be teammates.

One player is Canada’s captain. The other was a rising star for the United States. They faced off at the 2021, 2022 and 2023 World Championships, plus the 2022 Olympics.

A draft-day trade that sent Roque from the New York Sirens to Poulin’s Montreal Victoire in June shocked many fans who never expected the two rivals to play for the same team.

Seven months later, not only are they doing that, but they are forming one of the most dynamic duos in the entire Professional Women’s Hockey League.

They’ve combined for nine goals, and on seven of them, both players have factored in.

Poulin had two goals and an assist in the Victoire’s 3-2 win over the Minnesota Frost on Sunday at Place Bell.

Roque assisted on Poulin’s first goal, and the Victoire captain returned the favour on Roque’s tying goal with 28.7 seconds remaining in regulation.

Poulin then scored the game-winning goal in overtime, snapping the team’s three-game losing streak. Two of the tournaments Roque and Poulin faced off at ended with a Poulin game-winning goal.

“It’s nice to have her scoring an overtime goal for you instead of against you,” Roque said.

Both goals that the two combined on Sunday were just as much about the pass as the finish.

Roque set up Poulin with a hard cross-ice pass through traffic that Poulin dived to get her backhand on.

“She can score a goal from almost anywhere,” Roque said about Poulin. “The goal on the backdoor that she dived for, as I passed it, I thought ‘Oh my God it’s on her backhand’ and she still scored.”

With under 30 seconds left in the third period, Poulin fed a pass from the top of the offensive zone to the side of the net. Roque not only managed to redirect it, but put it right into the empty side of the net.

“That’s a Sidney Crosby type of goal,” Montreal coach Kori Cheverie said. “Not many women can do that.”

Roque has played all season on the left wing with Poulin and Laura Stacey. Poulin is tied for the league lead in scoring with 11 points, and Roque is one point behind with 10. Both players have five-game point streaks.

“It’s really easy to play with people with a high hockey IQ,” Roque said. “That’s always one of the biggest things. When people can see the ice, it’s really easy to be able to build chemistry, and she sees the ice better than almost anyone.”

“We both want to win, we’re both competitive,” added Poulin. “To be able to play with Abby, to see the way she sees the game, how she’s physical, her shots, her passes… I’m not surprised.

“The three of us, with Laura, we work well together, we talk a lot, we want to get better game after game. Even after tonight, we’re not satisfied, we want to keep improving, we want to be dangerous game after game.”

Cheverie highlighted Roque’s hockey smarts and dedication to the game.

“She fits in well with how much those two eat, sleep, and breathe hockey,” Cheverie said. “Pou and Stace are often engaged in a lot of battles and having someone on their line who can also engage in battles and maybe take a little bit of the battle away from them, but still make high percentage plays under pressure.

“That’s what she brings.”

Over the last four games, which included three one-goal losses and an overtime win, all of Montreal’s seven goals were scored with its top line on the ice.

“We have to be OK with (the top line) scoring, because they’re going to continue,” Cheverie said. “Certainly, we want more lines to score.”

The other lines are getting chances, but their overall game doesn’t have the head coach concerned.

“It’s hard when you can’t say on the scoreboard that multiple people have a goal but it’s awesome to see that multiple people have denied goals from other team’s top offences,” she said. “That’s what gets you through a season, and that’s what will continue to allow Pou, Stace, and Roque to produce.”

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Jan. 4, 2026.

Jared Book, The Canadian Press