"No Escape Rule" Makes Immediate Impact, Players Make Their Mark In Montreal

The Montreal Victoire started their preseason like they finished their playoffs run: a defeat to the hands of Boston in a close, hard-hitting contest, losing 3-1 against the Fleet. But the story of the game isn’t the score or the winning team. It’s the new "No Escape Rule" that the league confirmed on Tuesday evening.

In five penalty kills, Montreal’s head coach Kori Cheverie used 17 different players. During the team’s second penalty kill, she used five different combinations in only two minutes.

The reason? The "No Escape Rule."

According to the league rules’ book, the new No Escape Rule “requires players on a team that take a penalty, which leads to penalty time on the clock, to remain on the ice until after the face-off that resumes action. This requirement, similar to the current No-Player-Change Rule that governs icing the puck, could lead to situations such as teams opening a penalty kill with three forwards and one defender on the ice until an opportunity for substitution arises.”

The rule has its challenges, especially who’s on the ice when the penalty is called.

“That's why Mikyla Grant-Mantis was playing D. I would never want Grant-Mentis to play D because she needs to score goals, she doesn't need to stop them,” explained – and joked – Montreal head coach Kori Cheverie. "So, we're trying to play around with the new rule ourselves and we tried to make some quick switches during the game, but it's going to take time for us as coaches. But the players were getting it as it was going on.”

Grant-Mentis was not the only one. Clair DeGeorge had to play defence as well after a penalty was called to her team. For Cheverie, it also means that everyone will have to pay attention during practices.

“But now, PK is sort of the thing that I really love,” she mentioned. “It's the special team that I really like to work on. And so, this creates another degree of difficulty as everyone's a part of the PK meeting now, because you may have to actually kill a penalty, so understand what the PK meeting is about. Everybody has to be able to take face-offs now. Everybody has to be able to play D. I bet the players didn't think that they were going to have to do that coming into the pro league. So, it's another degree of difficulty, but we're up for the challenge.”

Handicapping the role of a PK player?

Montreal forward Maureen Murphy said that she had only learned about the new rule today. Cheverie mentioned that she got it confirmed only a couple of days ago. And so far, she’s not sure if she likes it or not.

“I think that the purpose behind it is to create more scoring and that's okay. But I do really value the PK players on our team. And with the jailbreak goal and now this rule about the PK, what role does our PK players have? We're taking more jobs away from players, we're taking roles away from players. And today, with three forwards on the ice that were half exhausted, I don't know if I like that. Our heads are spinning a little bit. ‘If we get this player off, then we can put that player on and then we're going to cheat the system or try to.’ But, you know, they catch us.”

Boston’s head coach Courtney Kessel admitted to trying to fool the referees too, without much success.

“I think we both tried some tricks,” Kessel said. The referees kind of laughed at us. We have to be on our toes because it’s new. We got three forwards and one D there at one point. So, it’s exciting for the other team that is on the power play, but it’s a little bit nerve-racking for the team that is on the PK.”

Strong game for the Labelle-Boreen-Murphy line

Although the line of Marie-Philip Poulin, Laura Stacey and Lina Ljungblom was the top line and did well, the best line for Montreal was Alexandra Labelle, Abby Boreen and Maureen Murphy. They had the best scoring chances, played well offensively and defensively, and combined for 11 shots on net. Murphy scored the only goal for her team, and if it wasn’t for Boreen missing an empty-net goal after Montreal pulled their goalie at the end of the third period, Montreal could have sent the game into overtime.

“We told Boreen we're going to work on empty nets next week,” joked Cheverie after the game.

“Boreen's been great honestly since she's been here and really excited to be here and tonight, I thought we saw a little bit of a spark from Murphy as well,” said Cheverie, more seriously this time. “If you get the forecheck from Labelle and you get the turnover, I think Murphy and Boreen put themselves in good spots to score some goals.”

It was some kind of a new role for Labelle, who had more of a defensive part last season with New York.

“To be honest, I was a little surprised to see my name there between Murphy and Boreen, but I do have an offensive side that I was not able to show as much last season. I worked hard on that during the summer, and I know that I can be more offensive, I just need to be more confident. Kori gave me the opportunity and I tried to do the best I could.”

Desbiens for two full periods

Montreal’s Ann-Renee Desbiens started the game, and played two periods, allowing two goals on 17 shots. Germany’s Sandra Abstreiter played in the third, not allowing a goal on seven shots.

“I think with only about a two-week, two-and-a-half-week camp, we're stuck in the middle of trying to prepare the team as best as we can, but also evaluate the players that we do have,” explained Cheverie. “And so, being able to put Desbiens in for two periods and then to give Sandra a period was our way of trying to find the balance of giving Desbiens her reps and then also seeing what Sandra has to offer.”

Maloney providing hits

Hilary Knight had a strong game for Boston with two goals, while Shay Maloney scored in an empty net. The latter also had a total of six hits in merely 10 minutes of play, including two very solid hits on Laura Stacey and Mariah Keopple. Both Montreal players stayed on the ice for a short moment after getting hit, but were able to skate back to the bench by themselves and stay in the game as well.

The 25-year-old from Illinois spent last season in Sweden.

Aside from the injured players, Kristin O’Neill, Amanda Boulier, and Jennifer Gardiner were healthy scratches for Montreal, as well as goalies Marlene Boissonnault, Tricia Deguire, and Elaine Chuli.

Montreal will play on Friday against Ottawa, while Boston plays tomorrow against the Charge.