Rebecca Leslie was the standout player in the Ottawa Charge’s 4-2 victory against the Seattle Torrent, scoring both the game-tying and game-winning goals in their matchup in Ottawa. This game marked the final PWHL action before the Olympic break, with several players from both teams set to participate in the Winter Games in Italy. Notably, Ottawa’s head coach, Carla MacLeod, will also be part of the Czechia coaching staff for the Olympics.
Aside from Leslie’s heroics, Fanuza Kadirova and Emily Clark also found the back of the net for Ottawa, with Gwyneth Philips making 24 saves. Meanwhile, Hilary Knight and Jesse Eldridge managed to score for Seattle, who remain at the bottom of the eight-team standings, trailing just behind Toronto. Corinne Schroeder made 26 saves for the Torrent.
In a game filled with back-and-forth action, Leslie’s late heroics proved to be the difference maker, as she scored the equalizer with a little over five minutes remaining and then netted the game-winner on a power play with just 30 seconds left in regulation. Clark sealed the deal with an insurance goal just 13 seconds later to secure the victory for Ottawa.
In another PWHL matchup, the Montreal Victoire blanked the Toronto Sceptres 3-0, with Ann-Renee Desbiens standing tall in goal to earn her third shutout of the season. Natalie Mlynkova, Marie-Philip Poulin, and Shiann Darkangelo provided the offense for Montreal, while Raygan Kirk made 28 saves for Toronto, who suffered their third consecutive loss.
Montreal capitalized on their power play opportunities, scoring two goals with the man advantage in this game. On the other hand, Toronto’s struggles continued as they entered the Olympic break on a low note, having lost seven of their last eight games.
The Minnesota Frost secured a 4-1 victory over the Vancouver Goldeneyes, with Britta Curl-Salemme leading the way with two goals. Kelly Pannek extended her goal-scoring streak to four games, while rookie Kendall Cooper also notched her first career goal in the win. Despite being outshot, the Frost managed to control the game and secure the win.
Lastly, the Boston Fleet edged past the New York Sirens 4-3 in a thrilling shootout, with Alina Muller scoring the decisive goal. Boston’s balanced scoring attack, led by Abby Newhook, Liz Schepers, and Jamie Lee Rattray, propelled them to victory. On the other side, Kristyna Kaltounkova stood out for the Sirens with two goals, but it wasn’t enough to avoid their third consecutive loss.
Both New York and Boston will look to regroup in their next games, with the Sirens hosting Montreal and the Fleet visiting Ottawa in their upcoming matchups.