OTTAWA 鈥� It all comes down to Wednesday's game against the Minnesota Frost for the Ottawa Charge.
Win and they're in.
Ottawa beat the Montreal Victoire 3-1 on Saturday afternoon for the Charge's third consecutive win, putting them four points ahead of Minnesota for the final playoff spot in the Professional Women鈥檚 Hockey League. The two teams meet in Ottawa on Wednesday in their second last game of the season and no matter what happens in the Frost's game on Sunday, a win will give the Charge their first-ever playoff berth in the league鈥檚 second season.
鈥淵ou get to this point in the season and the games are going to be tight," said Charge coach Carla MacLeod. "Everyone鈥檚 fighting for everything and for our group it鈥檚 no different. We don鈥檛 waver in moments anymore, we just keep working.
鈥淚t鈥檚 just staying true to our process, and that鈥檚 been the conversation we鈥檝e had over the whole season. We鈥檙e just trying to get better every game and that doesn鈥檛 change for us."
Ottawa has won three straight games and four of there past five. There was a three-week break in between wins two and three for the women鈥檚 world championship, but the team seems to be playing their best hockey at the right time.
鈥淭here鈥檚 a lot of excitement and energy to our group,鈥� said Charge defender Jincy Roese, who sang the national anthem before Saturday鈥檚 win. 鈥淲e鈥檙e having a lot of fun right now.鈥�
If Minnesota loses to New York in regulation time on Sunday, the Charge would clinch a playoff spot with a single point Wednesday. Each team would have a game remaining and could tied in points still, but the Charge hold the tiebreaker with most regulation wins.
A Minnesota win Sunday and the Charge will still get into the playoffs with a regulation win Wednesday.
鈥淓very game these last few are very important now we鈥檙e looking towards Minnesota Wednesday and another big three points to chase towards clinching a playoff spot,鈥� Ottawa defender Ashton Bell said.
鈥淚 think our teams rise to these types of occasions and we鈥檙e looking forward to Wednesday.鈥�
The Charge are now tied for the league lead with 11 regulation wins, but they are also second to last in the league with 11 regulation losses. It鈥檚 all those overtime games that are making the difference.
鈥淚t鈥檚 not any easy game out there. Every team is so good, but so are we and that鈥檚 what we鈥檙e understanding. We know nothing will be given to us and we鈥檒l go out there and earn it,鈥� MacLeod sad.
鈥淭here鈥檚 been non-stop pressure on us all year. This is a league that鈥檚 built on pressure, because the parity is so great and every game matters. For us it鈥檚 just another opportunity to go out there and do what we do."
The final regular season game next Saturday for the Charge, and they are hoping to be playing for playoff seeding, and not a playoff invitation.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published April 26, 2025.
Darren Desaulniers, The Canadian Press
