PWHL Ottawa inches closer to playoff berth with dramatic shootout win over Boston

TD Place Arena was in nervous suspense on April 24 until PWHL Boston captain Hilary Knight rang the puck off the post in fifth and final round of the shootout, securing the win for PWHL Ottawa.

The 3-2 win on home soil pushes Ottawa one step closer to a playoff berth in the first-ever PWHL playoffs.

April 24 also marked Pride Night at TD Place, with thousands of fans showing up representing all colours of the rainbow — not just the usual red and navy.

“It’s awesome to see the representation in the crowd,” Boston forward and Ottawa-native Jamie Lee Rattray said. “Everybody was just super excited to be there and happy to be themselves.”

With the arena packed with an excited 7,686 fans eager to experience both Pride Night and a battle for a playoff spot, the stage was set for a showdown.

As soon as the puck dropped, Boston made it clear they weren’t going to give Ottawa any breathing room. 

Ottawa looked shaky under pressure in the opening minutes, emphasized by Knight’s opening goal on Boston’s first shot of the game. Just 32 seconds later, Boston was on the power play when Ottawa got booked for too many players on the ice. 

“It’s just all part of the game. It’s not going to be the first time, or the last time, something happens in the first minute or 90 seconds,” Ottawa head coach Carla MacLeod said. “We don’t get worked up about those situations.”

Minutes later, when Ottawa was on a power play of their own, Ottawa forward Daryl Watts sent a pass across the Boston slot, deceptively through linemate Natalie Snodgrass in front of the net, across to Ottawa captain Brianne Jenner who drove the crease and tied the game.

Jenner’s fourth goal in the past two games elevates her to nine goals on the season, giving her the highest goal total on PWHL Ottawa. She now sits in a three-way tie for third in the PWHL for goals scored.

Late in the first period, Rattray caught Ottawa blue-liner Aneta Tejralová on the breakout, causing a turnover just inside the Ottawa blue line. Rattray took off alone toward the net and scored through Ottawa goaltender Emerance Maschmeyer’s five hole to regain the lead for Boston.

In the second period, Ottawa forward Kateřina Mrázová took a hit on the boards and looked shaken up as she laboured toward the bench. Having just returned from an injury which kept her from representing Czechia at the World Championships earlier this month, this was a scary look for Mrázová. However, she continued playing the rest of the game.

There was no scoring through the second period thanks to a showing of dominant goaltending at both ends of the ice. 

Ottawa chased Boston’s one-goal lead into the third frame.

That was until Emily Clark sped around the Boston defence and, with only one hand on her stick, shoveled the puck across the slot to linemate Gabbie Hughes for the tap in goal to knot the game at two.

The game remained scoreless for the rest of regulation, as Maschmeyer made several big saves under pressure to keep the game tied.

“For her to be playing as great as she’s playing, obviously it gives us a lot of confidence,” MacLeod said.

The crowd was on edge through the excitement of overtime as both teams exchanged highly dangerous chances.

Boston netminder Aerin Frankel and Maschmeyer went back and forth, exchanging acrobatic saves. The fierce goaltending battle meant the game had to be decided by a shootout.

“We saw a show tonight, from both of them,” Boston head coach Courtney Kessel said. “Maschmeyer played fantastic and then Frankel’s going down, making the same save at the opposite net.”

Despite looking hurt in the second period, Mrázová was first up for Ottawa in the shootout. Suspense was in the air at TD Place Arena as she glided back and forth horizontally on her way to the net. As she reached the net she faked to her forehand and jolted to the other, sending Frankel sprawling across the ice as Mrázová scored on the backhand.

Boston forward Hannah Brandt scored on her first attempt to even the score for Boston, but Frankel and Maschmeyer held off the remaining shots until the final round where Mrázová came out for a second attempt.

She approached much quicker this time and beat Frankel again, but this time through the five hole as she tried to follow Mrázová across the crease. Mrázová’s goal gave Ottawa the advantage heading into Boston’s next attempt.

“She’s such a fierce competitor,” MacLeod said. “Any team she’s ever played on, she’s been an impact player and we’re seeing that here in Ottawa as well.”

Boston sent out captain Knight again, who rung the puck off the post to give Ottawa the crucial win.

Ottawa remains fourth in the standings, but thanks to the shootout win, now sit three points ahead of Boston in the race for the last PWHL playoff spot. 

On April 27, Ottawa will take on Montreal at home as they look to extend their win streak to five games and take one step closer to securing an appearance in the inaugural PWHL playoffs.

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Featured photo by Andrea Cardin/Freestyle Photography/PWHL.