PWHL Boston goaltender Aerin Frankel (35) denies PWHL Ottawa forward Natalie Snodgrass (8) during a Jan. 24, 2024 game at TD Place Arena in Ottawa, Ont. [Photo by Andrea Cardin/Freestyle Photography/PWHL]

PWHL Ottawa was less than a minute from extending its season-opening point streak to five games when PWHL Boston forward Theresa Schafzahl stunned the crowd at TD Place Arena with a tap-in at the doorstep of Ottawa’s net.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau was among the more than 5,000 fans in attendance who witnessed Ottawa’s narrow 3-2 loss to Boston Jan. 24, which rounded off their three-game homestand.

Ottawa was coming off a narrow 3-1 victory against PWHL Toronto the night before, in which goaltender Emerance Maschmeyer had an impressive 30 save performance. 

The back-to-back games meant goaltender Sandra Abstreiter got her first-ever PWHL start against Hilary Knight and Boston.

After an uneventful first 10 minutes, Ottawa forward Kateřina Mrázová took a roughing penalty to give Boston the first power play of the game.

It was on the man advantage that Boston forward Alina Müller broke through Abstreiter with a blocker-side snipe, assisted by defender Megan Keller. Boston maintained the offensive zone on the play thanks to a failed breakout attempt by Ottawa’s penalty kill unit.

Late in the first frame, Boston stretched the lead to two. On a 2-on-1 opportunity, Boston forward Sophie Shirley dished the puck to Jamie Lee Rattray, who tapped the puck around Abstreiter’s outstretched pad.

Born in Ottawa, Rattray was elated to score her first PWHL goal in her homecoming game.

“Scoring your first goal is always fun,” Rattray said. “To do it here is pretty special.”

PWHL Boston forward Jamie Lee Rattray (47) speaks to the media following a 3-2 win over PWHL Ottawa Jan. 24, 2024 at TD Place Arena in Ottawa, Ont. [Photo by Janson Duench/The Charlatan]
After giving up the goal, Abstreiter appeared shaken up and received attention from Ottawa’s trainer. She ended up heading off the ice to the dressing room, thrusting Maschmeyer into the Ottawa crease for the second night in a row.

Ottawa came into the second period looking to respond to Boston’s offensive success in the first. 

“The first period we were just getting our legs back under us,” Ottawa defender Savannah Harmon said. “We knew we had more in us and we knew we could play better.”

Ottawa established an offensive presence after the first several minutes of the period and set up dangerous chances. Ottawa outshot Boston 16-8 during the second frame, but Boston goaltender Aerin Frankel was lights out. 

It wasn’t until less than five minutes remained in the period that Ottawa’s fourth line connected to put their team on the board. Kristin Della Rovere deflected Natalie Snodgrass’s slot pass through Frankel for her first goal of the season. 

Della Rovere has been in and out of the Ottawa lineup this season and was only activated as Becca Gilmore was scratched before game time. This was her first-ever PWHL goal in only her third game.

“It’s about coming in everyday, putting the work in and waiting for the opportunity,” Della Rovere said.

PWHL Ottawa forward Kristen Della Rovere (25) speaks to the media following a 3-2 loss to PWHL Boston Jan. 24, 2024 at TD Place Arena in Ottawa, Ont. [Photo by Janson Duench/The Charlatan]
Despite trailing by one goal, Ottawa outshot Boston 23-20 heading into the second intermission.

Both teams came out of the dressing rooms looking to establish a physical presence in the third period. Just over two minutes in, Boston forward Taylor Girard caught Ottawa defender Amanda Boulier up high with a huge hit and was assessed a roughing penalty. Boulier was initially slow to get up but returned to play.

On the ensuing power play, Ottawa forward Lexie Adzija finished off a scramble in front of the Boston net for her third marker in three games to even the score at two. The buzz generated after the previous goal had primed the crowd for an eruption. 

Adzija further extended her season-opening point streak to five games. 

“[Adzija]’s a big body, she’s fierce and she’s a heck of a player,” Ottawa head coach Carla MacLeod said. “She plays the game the right way and she’s being rewarded for it.”

The remainder of the period proved incredibly physical, with both teams assessed roughing penalties after a dust-up in front of the Boston goal.

Both Maschmeyer and Frankel stood on their heads as the clock wound down, often sprawling to keep the puck from crossing the goal line. 

In the end, it was Frankel who won out.

“We know she can play in big moments and stop lots of pucks,” Boston head coach Courtney Kessel said.

With less than a minute left in regulation, Harmon’s breakout attempt led to an untimely turnover in the high slot to Müller. Schafzahl finally beat Maschmeyer on the rebound to serve Ottawa their first regulation loss of the season.

“It wasn’t a great start, we know that … but the resiliency is incredible,” MacLeod said. “We shifted the game pretty nicely for two out of three periods.”

Ottawa will look to bounce back on the road in a rematch with PWHL Montreal Jan. 27 at Place Bell at 3:30 p.m.

Featured image by Andrea Cardin/Freestyle Photography/PWHL.

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