BOSTON (Interstat) — Ann-Renée Desbiens stopped all 20 shots she faced, and Lina Ljungblom scored the only goal as the Montréal Victoire defeated the Boston Fleet 1-0 on April 11 at TD Garden. Desbiens earned the win in net with a 20-save shutout, turning aside a Boston attack that pressed for an equalizer but could not solve the Montréal goalkeeper. Montréal improved to 22-7, while Boston fell to 19-9. Ljungblom’s goal, assisted by Laura Stacey and Nicole Gosling, came 5:52 into the opening period and stood as the difference in a game defined by special teams, penalty killing and tight defensive play.

The opening period was busy. Laura Stacey was sent off for tripping at 3:41, and Jade Downie-Landry received a roughing penalty at 5:39. Boston’s Riley Brengman was assessed a matching roughing minor on the same sequence, keeping the teams at four skaters apiece. Thirteen seconds after that exchange, Montréal broke through. Ljungblom scored at 5:52, with Stacey and Gosling picking up assists, and the Victoire took a lead they would not surrender.

Montréal’s discipline issues continued later in the first. Dara Greig was called for tripping at 9:13, Alexandra Labelle went off for boarding at 11:45, and Hayley Scamurra received a roughing minor at 17:00. Boston’s Ella Huber was assessed a roughing penalty on the same play, creating another four-on-four situation. Montréal then took a too-many-players bench minor at 18:29, forcing the Victoire to finish the period shorthanded. Boston generated chances with the extra skater but could not beat Desbiens, who was composed in the crease and controlled rebounds.

Desbiens’ 20 saves anchored Montréal. She was especially important while the Victoire navigated a parade to the penalty box. Boston’s best opportunities came from sustained pressure and traffic in front, but Desbiens held her ground. The shutout was her latest strong performance in a season that has positioned Montréal near the top of the standings. Her statline included the win and 20 saves on 20 shots faced.

Ljungblom’s goal was enough because Montréal’s defense limited second-chance opportunities. Ljungblom finished with two shots on goal. Stacey contributed an assist, six shots on goal, two penalty minutes and one hit. Nicole Gosling added an assist, two shots on goal and one hit. Their combination produced the decisive sequence and helped Montréal dictate play after an uneven start.

Boston’s attack was led by Alina Müller, who recorded two shots on goal and four hits. Liz Schepers registered three shots on goal. Haley Winn had four shots on goal and three hits from the blue line. Despite those efforts, the Fleet could not find a tying goal. Boston’s record moved to 19-9 with the loss. The Fleet had entered the game with momentum and had been strong recently, but Montréal’s defensive structure and Desbiens’ goaltending proved too difficult to crack.

Other contributions for Montréal included Tamara Giaquinto with two shots on goal, Erin Ambrose with one hit, and Shiann Darkangelo appearing in the lineup. The Victoire’s blue line absorbed Boston’s pressure, blocked lanes and cleared pucks when necessary. Montréal’s penalty killers repeatedly answered the call, killing off tripping, boarding, roughing and too-many-players penalties. The Victoire also got a key assist from Gosling on the winning goal, and Stacey’s six shots reflected her active role at both ends.

The first period set the tone. Stacey’s tripping penalty at 3:41 gave Boston an early power play. After Downie-Landry and Brengman offset roughing minors at 5:39, Montréal scored 13 seconds later when Ljungblom converted. Greig’s tripping penalty at 9:13 and Labelle’s boarding call at 11:45 gave Boston more chances with the man advantage. Scamurra and Huber traded roughing minors at 17:00, and Montréal’s too-many-players penalty at 18:29 gave Boston another late power play in the period. Boston could not convert.

From there, the game became a defensive struggle. Montréal protected the one-goal lead by keeping Boston to the outside and relying on Desbiens when the Fleet broke through. Boston pressed for an equalizer late, but the Victoire held firm. The win gave Montréal a road victory against a fellow contender and continued its strong run. The loss was a frustrating one for Boston, which had chances but could not finish.

Montréal’s recent form has been excellent. The Victoire had won several games by wide margins and had allowed few goals, including shutouts and low-scoring victories. Boston had also been playing well, with wins over Vancouver, Minnesota, Toronto and Seattle in recent weeks. The head-to-head history between the teams has been tight, with three of the previous four meetings decided by one goal or in overtime. This latest matchup followed that pattern, with a single goal separating the teams.

The win was Montréal’s 22nd of the season and kept the Victoire in strong position. Boston, meanwhile, dropped to 19-9 and missed a chance to gain ground. The Fleet’s penalty kill and power play had moments, but the difference was Desbiens and the lone finish from Ljungblom. Montréal’s road effort included contributions throughout the lineup, from Stacey and Gosling on the goal to Giaquinto and Ambrose on the back end. Darkangelo also took shifts, while Boston leaned on Müller, Schepers and Winn to generate offense.

Interstat’s ELO system had projected Boston with a 50.3 percent probability to win before the game, reflecting how evenly matched the teams appeared. The result instead went to Montréal, which will look to carry the momentum into its next game. Boston will aim to rebound in its upcoming schedule. The Fleet and Victoire are scheduled to meet again, giving Boston a quick chance to respond and Montréal an opportunity to reinforce its standing. The game at TD Garden finished with Desbiens as the top star, Ljungblom as the goal scorer and Montréal leaving Boston with a hard-earned 1-0 win.