PWHL Ottawa rounded out a successful four-game road trip with a shutout win over PWHL New York following a shootout loss to PWHL Boston. During their time on the road, Ottawa accumulated a four-game point streak, propelling them into the fourth and final playoff spot as the postseason looms ahead.
Perhaps one of the catalysts for the upswing was Ottawa’s roster changes. Defender Amanda Boulier was sent to Montreal in exchange for forward Tereza Vanišová. Ottawa also parted ways with forwards Lexie Adzija and Caitlin Lonergan in exchange for PWHL Boston forward Shiann Darkangelo.
The trades seem to have solidified Ottawa’s forward depth, allowing for a dominant top offensive line to emerge. Captain Brianne Jenner, along with Kateřina Mrázová and Daryl Watts, have found ways to light the lamp on a team that has struggled all season to score goals.
March 16: 2-1 shootout loss to Boston
Ottawa’s third stop on the road was a special one. On a mission to give Michigan their first taste of PWHL action, the league brought Ottawa and Boston to Little Caesars Arena, home of the NHL’s Detroit Red Wings. An estimated 13,736 fans packed the venue, a new PWHL record south of the border.
“Coming to Detroit, the fans were so loud,” Jenner said. “We gave them a real exciting game, obviously. It was a great experience to play in front of them.”
Boston and Ottawa have been squabbling over the last playoff position as the season winds down.
Ultimately, the matchup was decided by the women between the pipes as Ottawa’s star goaltender Emerance Maschmeyer squared off against Boston’s Aerin Frankel.
In their last two games against each other, both goalies exchanged dominant performances. On Feb. 19, Maschmeyer led Ottawa to a 4-2 win over Boston, saving 30 of 32 shots. Two nights later, Frankel stopped 29 of 30, propelling her team to a 3-1 victory over Ottawa.
In the first period, Boston struck early. After an icing, Boston forward Hannah Brandt won the ensuing faceoff in the Ottawa zone and curled behind the net. Boston star defender Megan Keller fired a one-timer off Brandt’s pass to the slot which snuck through Maschmeyer for captain Hilary Knight to clean up an easy goal.
As someone born and raised in Michigan, Keller’s assist was especially meaningful.
“Coming home to Michigan and bringing the PWHL here is awesome to be part of and hopefully it’s not the last time that we’re playing here,” Keller said.
With five minutes to go in the first frame, Ottawa answered.
As Keller looked to start the Boston breakout, Ottawa forward Emily Clark physically stepped up to create a turnover in the offensive zone. Clark picked up the puck, pivoted toward the Boston frame and beat Frankel with a rocket, tying the game at one.
But throughout the rest of regulation, the goaltenders took over. After 60 minutes, Maschmeyer had stuffed 25 of 26 shots and Frankel 21 of 22.
Although Ottawa had several shots during overtime, it wasn’t enough to keep this game from a shootout.
“You saw some back and forth, really huge chances in the three on three, so I think we were lucky to get away into the shootout,” Boston head coach Courtney Kessel said.
Head coach Carla MacLeod said she was still pleased with her team’s performance despite the loss.
“There’s no doubt in our mind that we will continue to do what we are doing,” MacLeod said. “We will be able to reap the results a little bit better.”
March 20: Dominant 3-0 victory in New York
Ottawa caught New York on a six-game losing skid, which had buried them at the bottom of the PWHL standings.
Maschmeyer was back between the pipes as Ottawa stepped onto the ice at the Total Mortgage Arena.
In the first period, Ottawa’s top line linked up again to give them the lead.
With two and a half minutes remaining in the first frame, Jenner forced a turnover to stop a New York breakout and muscled the puck to Mrázová. Wasting no time, Mrázová immediately backhanded the puck to Watts, who had snuck behind the opposing defensive line to tip the puck past New York goaltender Abigail Levy.
Throughout the rest of regulation, both teams racked up penalties in a physical matchup. New York had five power-play opportunities and outshot their opponent through the second and third frames for a total of 26 shots in the game, not one of which got through Maschmeyer.
Late in the third, Ottawa blueliner Jincy Roese sent a pass to Jenner as she crossed the opposing blue line. Jenner looked to feed Mrázová through the middle of the zone but her pass was blocked by the stick of Boston captain and defender Micah Zandee-Hart.
But Jenner picked up the loose puck again and ripped a shot past Levy to double the lead with less than three minutes to go in the game. Once again, Ottawa’s best offensive line found a way to get on the scoreboard.
As time died down, New York pulled Levy in a desperate attempt to generate offence.
New York was moving the puck around the Ottawa zone when Natalie Snodgrass and Mrázová forced a turnover to Clark, who took off and scored on the empty net.
As they head home to face Toronto, Ottawa now holds lone possession of fourth place and a playoff spot ahead of Boston. With only six games remaining in their inaugural season, Ottawa controls their own destiny as they strive for the PWHL playoffs.
Featured image provided by PWHL.
