Maggie Flaherty, Hayley Scamurra score 24 seconds apart as Victoire beat Frost 2-1 in PWHL playoffs

ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) — Maggie Flaherty and Hayley Scamurra scored 24 seconds apart early in the second period, Ann-Renée Desbiens made 27 saves, and the Montreal Victoire beat the Minnesota Frost 2-1 on Thursday night in the PWHL playoffs.

Montreal won a playoff game on the road for the first time in franchise history to take a 2-1 series lead in the best-of-five semifinal.

Flaherty, who is the only player from Minnesota on the Victoire, got her own rebound and scored a wraparound goal as goaltender Maddie Rooney couldn’t get to the left post fast enough. Then Scamurra beat Rooney high on the glove side just five minutes into the second.

Minnesota went on a power play with 18.2 seconds remaining in the third, and won the faceoff, but couldn't get the tying goal during a 6-on-4 opportunity. The Frost outshot the Victoire 11-1 in the third.

Sidney Morin scored 3:22 into the game on a shot from the circle that went through traffic and the pads of Desbiens. It was Morin’s second goal of the season — both in the playoffs.

Minnesota entered 12-0 when leading after the first period. The Frost also led the regular season with a record goals-per-game average of 3.03 across 30 games.

Montreal plays at Minnesota in Game 4 on Friday for a chance at reaching the Walter Cup finals.

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

Minnesota Frost goaltender Maddie Rooney (35) and forward Kelly Pannek (12) wait for play to resume after a goal scored by Montreal Victoire defenseman Maggie Flaherty (91) during the second period of game 3 of a PWHL hockey semifinals game Thursday, May 7, 2026, in St. Paul, Minn. (AP Photo/Abbie Parr)

Montréal Victoire goaltender Ann-Renée Desbiens watches play during the third period of game 3 of a PWHL hockey semifinals game against the Minnesota Frost Thursday, May 7, 2026, in St. Paul, Minn. (AP Photo/Abbie Parr)

Montreal Victoire players celebrate after game 3 of a PWHL hockey semifinals game against the Minnesota Frost, Thursday, May 7, 2026, in St. Paul, Minn. (AP Photo/Abbie Parr)

LONDON (AP) — Partial results from local elections in England on Friday showed big losses for Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s governing Labour Party and gains for the hard-right party Reform U.K.

The votes are being widely seen as an unofficial referendum on Starmer, elected less than two years ago.

Areas that counted their ballots overnight saw Reform UK, led by Nigel Farage, win hundreds of local council seats in working-class areas in England’s north such as Hartlepool.

The picture will change throughout Friday as results come in from the majority of local councils, including Labour strongholds like London. Votes will also be counted in contests for semiautonomous parliaments in Scotland and Wales.

A Labour rout could trigger moves by restive party lawmakers to oust a leader who led them to power in July 2024. Even if Starmer survives for now, many analysts doubt he will lead the party into the next national election, which must be held by 2029.

Deputy Prime Minister David Lammy cautioned the party not to topple the prime minister, saying “you don’t change the pilot during the flight.”

Britain's Reform Party leader Nigel Farage poses for photographers with his poll card at a polling station in Walton on the Naze, England, Thursday, May 7, 2026 before he casts his vote in the local elections.(AP Photo/Richard Pelham)

Britain's Prime Minister Keir Starmer and wife Victoria arrive at a polling station in central London, Thursday, May 7, 2026 to cast their votes in the local elections.(AP Photo/Kirsty Wigglesworth)