3 Takeaways From the Charge’s 2-1 Overtime Loss to the Frost in Game 2

On Thursday, May 22, the Ottawa Charge hosted the Minnesota Frost for Game 2 of the Professional Women’s Hockey League (PWHL) Finals. The game started slowly, and the Charge scored first with two minutes remaining. The Frost tied the game in the final seconds, forcing the game to go into overtime. The Frost ultimately won 2-1 in overtime. The series is now tied with each team having one win. 

Charge Struck First

Just like in Game 1, the Charge struck first late into the game. While the first goal in Game 1 came late into the second period, the first goal in Game 2 wasn’t scored until two minutes before the end of regulation. 

The Frost had the puck tied up behind Maddie Rooney’s net. Rebecca Leslie skated up and knocked it loose from Maggie Flaherty. Leslie skated around the boards and passed it to Jocelyne Larocque as she skated into the Charge’s offensive zone. Larocque skated the puck up towards the net, and when she found an opening, she took a shot to score the first goal. 

Larocque was part of a trade earlier this season where Ottawa received Larocque and Victoria Bach, and in exchange, the Toronto Sceptres received Hayley Scamurra and Savannah Harmon. While Larocque recorded five assists in 24 regular season games with Ottawa, she had yet to score a goal in red and yellow. Larcoque already has two assists under her belt in the playoffs, but now she can pad her stats with her first goal of not only the playoffs but with the Charge.

Philips Continues to Have a Strong Performance

On March 14, the Charge placed their starting goaltender, Emerance Maschmeyer, on long-term injured reserve (LTIR) after she sustained a lower-body injury. As the Charge were still chasing a playoff spot, fans were worried they wouldn’t make it without their number one goaltender. Gwyneth Philips has had a stellar performance not only in the playoffs but also in the regular season to prove all those people wrong.

This is Philips’ first year in the PWHL after Ottawa selected her in the 2024 Draft, however, she is already making a name for herself in the league. In this game alone, Philips stopped 22 of 24 shots for a save percentage (SV%) of .917 and a goals-against average (GAA) of 1.57. While .917 is still a great SV%, it is Philips’ lowest in the playoffs so far. Her overall playoff SV% is .951 with a GAA of 1.19. Philips has stepped up for her team when needed and has often kept the Charge in the game as they push for the Walter Cup. 

Philips’ performance in both the playoffs and the regular season could also make her a target for the expansion draft. As PWHL Vancouver and PWHL Seattle look to join the league with 12 players on each team before all eight teams head to the 2025 PWHL Draft, Philips could be a prime target for one of these teams as they need to pick up a goaltender. Ottawa will have to decide who they would like to save; it might not be a bad idea to protect Philips. 

Charge Had More Scoring Chances

It is hard to believe that the Charge lost this game after looking at the stat sheet. The Charge took 38 shots compared to the Frost’s 24. With 14 shots over the Frost, the Charge had better puck possession and more scoring chances. However, the Charge didn’t score until their 29th shot on the net. With two and a half minutes to go in the game, it looked like the Charge had this game in the bag.