Claire Dalton has goal and assist as Victoire beat Fleet 3-1 for fourth straight win

LAVAL, Quebec (AP) — Claire Dalton had a goal and an assist as the Montreal Victoire defeated the Boston Fleet 3-1 on Monday night.

Anna Wilgren and Kristin O’Neill also scored, while Ann-Renée Desbiens stopped 18 shots for Montreal.

The Victoire took over first place in the six-team PWHL standings with their fourth consecutive win. They have 13 points, one more than the Minnesota Frost.

Hilary Knight scored her third goal of the season for Boston, which lost its second game in a row and sits last in the league.

Emma Soderberg made 28 saves in her first start this season.

Fleet: Knight is halfway to matching last season’s total of six goals, an encouraging sign for Boston. The Fleet, however, have only 12 goals through six games to rank last in the league, continuing a trend from last season.

Victoire: Montreal killed off a five-minute penalty to start the third, allowing only one shot, after forward Catherine Dubois received a game misconduct for a hit to the head of Boston defender Megan Keller. Montreal also shut down Boston’s power play — which entered 4 for 10 on the season — twice more in the period.

O’Neill put Montreal up 2-1 with a short-handed goal with 2:48 left in the second period. The 26-year-old center beat Soderberg on a breakaway, ending Boston’s power play 30 seconds in thanks to the league’s “jailbreak” rule.

Montreal’s league-worst power play fell to 2 for 25 on the season. After scoring twice on the power play in their season-opener, the Victoire have failed to score in their last 18 attempts with the advantage.

The Victoire take on the Fleet in Seattle on Jan. 5 as part of three straight games on the PWHL’s Takeover Tour. The Fleet visit the Minnesota Frost on Thursday before meeting Montreal in Seattle.

AP women’s hockey: https://apnews.com/hub/womens-hockey

Montreal Victoire goaltender Ann-Renee Desbiens, left, is scored against by Boston Fleet's Hilary Knight, back right, as Victoire's Kati Tabin (9) defends during second-period PWHL hockey game action in Laval, Quebec, Monday, Dec. 30, 2024. (Graham Hughes/The Canadian Press via AP)

Boston Fleet goaltender Emma Soderberg, left, makes a save as Montreal Victoire's Abigail Boreen (24) moves in during first-period PWHL hockey game action in Laval, Quebec, Monday, Dec. 30, 2024. (Graham Hughes/The Canadian Press via AP)

Montreal Victoire's Laura Stacey (7) moves in against Boston Fleet goaltender Emma Soderberg, left, during first-period PWHL hockey game action in Laval, Quebec, Monday, Dec. 30, 2024. (Graham Hughes/The Canadian Press via AP)

Montreal Victoire's Lina Ljungblom (25) shoots against Boston Fleet goaltender Emma Soderberg (30) during first-period PWHL hockey game action in Laval, Quebec, Monday, Dec. 30, 2024. (Graham Hughes/The Canadian Press via AP)Canadian Press via AP)

Montreal Victoire's Kati Tabin (9) defends Boston Fleet's Hannah Bilka (19) as she moves in on Victoire goaltender Ann-Renee Desbiens during second period PWHL hockey action in Laval, Que., Monday, Dec. 30, 2024. (Graham Hughes/The Canadian Press via AP)

Montreal Victoire goaltender Ann-Renee Desbiens (35) stops Boston Fleet's Hilary Knight during second period PWHL hockey action in Laval, Que., Monday, Dec. 30, 2024. (Graham Hughes/The Canadian Press, via AP)

Montreal Victoire's Lina Ljungblom (25) moves in on Boston Fleet goaltender Emma Soderberg during second period PWHL hockey action in Laval, Que., Monday, Dec. 30, 2024. (Graham Hughes/The Canadian Press, via AP)

Montreal Victoire's Kristin O'Neill (43) scores against Boston Fleet goaltender Emma Soderberg (30) during second-period PWHL hockey game action in Laval, Quebec, Monday, Dec. 30, 2024. (Graham Hughes/The Canadian Press via AP)

BRISBANE, Australia (AP) — Top-ranked Aryna Sabalenka captured her second consecutive Brisbane International title and 22nd career singles crown after a straight-sets victory over Marta Kostyuk on Sunday.

Sabalanka appeared in her third straight Brisbane final and the Belarusian looked in comfortable surroundings as she won 6-4, 6-3 in Pat Rafter Arena.

The Brisbane International is a tuneup for the Australian Open which begins next Sunday.

Kostyuk went hard early by attacking Sabalenka’s second serve, clawing back an early break with sublime drop shots that briefly rattled the world No. 1.

However, Sabalenka’s relentless intensity and match smarts proved decisive as she exploited the oppressive Brisbane humidity with punishing baseline rallies to clinch the opening set in 40 minutes.

Kostyuk wilted under the physical strain and Sabalenka accelerated in the second set.

With a mix of raking groundstrokes and deceptive drop shots, she forced a mounting error count from the Ukrainian to close out the match without dropping a set all week.

After the victory, Sabalenka looked down the court at Kostyuk and kissed both biceps, a likely nod to previous comments by Kostyuk that she possessed higher testosterone levels than other players.

Kostyuk has said the comments last year were taken out of context but increased the tensions between the pair since the Ukrainian's refusal to shake Sabalenka's hand after a match at the 2023 French Open.

The post-match trophy presentation was frosty. Kostyuk spoke passionately about her homeland but notably declined to mention Sabalenka by name.

“I want to say a few words about Ukraine,” Kostyuk said. “I play every day with a pain in my heart. There are thousands of people who are without light and warm water right now, it’s minus-20 degrees outside right now, so it’s very, very painful to live this reality every day.

"I was incredibly moved and happy to see so many Ukrainian fans and flags here this week … slava Ukraini (glory to Ukraine).”

Sabalenka, meanwhile, congratulated Kostyuk, stating she hoped they would meet in another final soon. She also took a cheeky dig at her boyfriend Georgios Frangulis.

“Hopefully soon I will call you somehow else,” Sabalenka said looking at Frangulis in the player's box. “That just put extra pressure, right?”

Later, Daniil Medvedev also won his 22nd singles title after easing past Brandon Nakashima 6-2, 7-6 (1) in the men's final.

The Russian dominated the American in the tiebreaker, claiming the first five points.

AP tennis: https://apnews.com/hub/tennis

Aryna Sabalenka of Belarus poses with the winners trophy after winning the women's final match against Marta Kostyuk of Ukraine 6-4, 6-3, at the Brisbane International tennis tournament in Brisbane, Australia, Sunday, Jan. 11, 2026. (AP Photo/Tertius Pickard)

Aryna Sabalenka of Belarus, right, hugs her support team after winning the women's final match against Marta Kostyuk of Ukraine 6-4, 6-3, at the Brisbane International tennis tournament in Brisbane, Australia, Sunday, Jan. 11, 2026. (AP Photo/Tertius Pickard)

Marta Kostyuk of Ukraine reacts after missing a shot during the women's final match against Aryna Sabalenka of Belarus at the Brisbane International tennis tournament in Brisbane, Australia, Sunday, Jan. 11, 2026. (AP Photo/Tertius Pickard)

Aryna Sabalenka of Belarus plays a shot during the women's final match against Marta Kostyuk of Ukraine at the Brisbane International tennis tournament in Brisbane, Australia, Sunday, Jan. 11, 2026. (AP Photo/Tertius Pickard)

Aryna Sabalenka of Belarus waves to the crowd after winning the women's final match against Marta Kostyuk of Ukraine 6-4, 6-3, at the Brisbane International tennis tournament in Brisbane, Australia, Sunday, Jan. 11, 2026. (AP Photo/Tertius Pickard)