After squeaking into the playoffs last season before going on to win the inaugural PWHL championship, it looks as though the Frost are going to have to follow a similar path if they are to have the chance to defend their title in the postseason. Playing their first home game since Feb. 23, the Frost fell to the first-place Montreal Victoire 4-1 on Wednesday night before an announced crowd of 6,330 at Xcel Energy Center. With four games to play in the regular season, the fourth-place Frost are in a battle for a spot in the playoffs. They hold a two-point lead over the Ottawa Charge, but the Charge have played one less game. A regulation win by the Charge over Boston on Saturday would have the Frost on the outside looking in when they play Toronto at Xcel on Sunday afternoon. “These are crucial points coming to the end of the year, we know that,” said Frost coach Ken Klee. “(Montreal) found a way to bury pucks. I think we would have liked to create more chances. But I certainly liked that we kept them to 17 shots. “But at the end of the day it’s about points, and we’ve got to figure out ways to get points.” Following a 2-1 loss to Toronto on Feb. 23, the Frost were down to their final 10 games of the regular season. Klee said he was looking at it as two five-game series, and if the Frost could win each “series” 3-2 they would be a solid bet for the playoffs. The Frost went 2-3 in the first five, creating added pressure for the team to finish strong. They would need to end the regular season with four straight wins to meet Klee’s goal of finishing 6-4 over the last 10 games. It might take four wins in order for the Frost to be comfortable with their position. “I don’t think we’re ever going to be comfortable, that’s just the way our league is,” Klee said. “There’s only six teams, and it’s super tight. Everyone is beating everyone. It makes it a fun time of year to be playing hockey, because we know there’s points on the line every night. “And now we’re down to the nitty gritty. I’m not trying to put a label on it. Obviously, Sunday we need to come out and get points. That’s what we’re focusing on.” Montreal became the first team in the league to clinch a playoff spot with Wednesday’s win. The Victoire scored the only goal of the first period, with Victoire captain Marie-Philip Poulin beating Frost goaltender Maddie Rooney on a wrist shot from the left-wing circle at 5:50 for her 16th goal of the season. Laura Stacey gave Montreal a 2-0 lead 24 seconds into the second period, beating Rooney on a rebound from just off the crease. Kelly Pannek got the Frost on the board at 4:09, scoring on a backhander from the slot after a centering pass from Grace Zumwinkle. The Frost had a great chance to tie the game at 7:49 of the third period, but Victoire goaltender Elaine Chuli slid across the crease to make a brilliant glove save on Michela Cava’s redirect of a Taylor Heise pass that appeared headed into the net. “No one on our bench could believe it,” Stacey said of her teammate’s save. Seventeen seconds later, Poulin scored her second goal of the game to give the Victoire a 3-1 lead. With Montreal on a 5-on-3 power play, Stacey scored her second goal of the game at 14:40. The Frost continue to be plagued by not being able to put the puck in the net with regularity. That will have to change in a hurry. “I think the belief is in our locker room,” Zumwinkle said. “The last two games haven’t been our best, and that’s unacceptable. When we’re at practice we have to bring that swagger and act like we are scoring goals. “I think that is going to be a point of emphasis for us, and hopefully we can show that out on Sunday.” ...read more read less