Ottawa shutouts Boston 4-0 on Pride Night

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It has been since March 18 that the Boston Fleet has been at Tsongas Center in Lowell. On Wednesday night, they hosted the Ottawa Charge before a crowd of 3807. Boston was also trying to snap a two-game losing streak. For Ottawa this was the third time playing back to back games in the last month. For the Fleet, being at Tsongas Center has been a good thing. They have won seven of the eight games played there.

The starting goalies for Wednesday night’s game were Gwyneth Phillips (5-4-1, 2.49 GAA, 909%) for Ottawa and for the Fleet, Arien Franklin (12-6-3, 2.11 GAA, 923%) whose numbers are third best in the league. Boston started the game getting themselves in some trouble. A interference penalty to Fleet’s Sydney Bard at the :31 second mark gave Ottawa an early power play. They were 10/66 (15.15%) when on the PP. Boston’s penalty kill was 12/82 (85.37%). It would take the Charge all of :16 seconds to cash in when Shiann Darkangelo got her 6th of the season. The assists went to Anna Meixner and Aneta Tejralova. Ottawa with an early 1-0 lead.

Despite having several good chances in the period, the Fleet could not get one past Phillips. The period ended 1-0 Ottawa. Shots were 8-8. With only one penalty in the period.

The second period started with both teams at even strength. Before the period reached the halfway mark, Ottawa increased their lead to 2-0 on the second of the night and the seventh of the season by Darkangelo. She beat Frankel with a wrist shot from the low slot. The goal came at 7:42 and was assisted by Ronja Savolainen. While the Fleet may have had the territory advantage, the Charge were finding the back of the net. The Charge would make it 3-0 on a wrist shot from the point by Jincy Roese, her third of the year. It came at 15:29 and was assisted by Taylor House. The period came to an end with the Charge in control 3-0 over the Fleet. Shots in the second were 8-6 in favor of Ottawa. For two periods it was 16-15 Ottawa.

The Fleet had a big good hole to climb out of as the third period started. They also switched goalies. Out was Frankel and in was Emma Soderberg (1-2-1, 3.17 GAA, 884%). Frankel ended her night with 13 saves on 16 shots. The teams traded penalties early in the third and it would lead to 4-on-4 hockey. Ottawa took advantage as Darkangelo finished off a hat trick with a goal at 6:29. She now has eight on the year. The assist went to Tejralova (2nd assist of the night) and Danielle Serdachny. It was now 4-0 Ottawa.

The game started to get chippy with each team throwing big hits at one another. Fleet forward Alina Muller went to the dressing room after taking a high stick to the mouth. Muller would return and take a minor penalty for roughing. Charge defense woman Zoe Boyd was ejected from the game after a five minute major for a check to the head. These penalties came at 8:55. Boston’s PP, which was 13/74 (17.57%) did nothing with their three minutes of power play time. The Charge PK at 21/93 77.42% did their job. Boston would get one more PP chance. However, it did nothing, and the final score was Charge 4, Fleet 0. The shutout was the second of the season for the Charge’s goalie Phillips. Who stopped 17 shots. The Charge finished the game with 24 shots. Soderberg stopped seven of eight shots for Boston. It was the first time the Fleet have been shutout this year.

After the game, a very happy Ottawa head coach Carla Mcleod thought Wednesday night’s game “looked like playoff hockey.” She praised her team for taking what they did in the third period vs the Fleet last weekend and applying it to Wednesday night’s game. Shiann Darkangelo recorded her first hat trick in the PWHL and enjoyed doing that against her former team. She also pointed out that with little time left in the season, “playing for points is what it is about.” Big shoes are being filled by Phillips. She is replacing Emerance Maschmeyer who is out with an injury at this time. She credit her teammates with helping her with the ebbs and flows of the game.

For the Fleet, it is a three-game losing streak they take into the World’s break. Jamie Lee Rattray said “it’s time for a reset with this break and get ready to go get nine points with three games left.” Coach Courtney Kessel is hoping the team takes this time to think “Of how terrible we have played over the last three games.” She wants her team “to get better.”

The next time Boston hits the ice will be Saturday April 26 at home vs Toronto.