Boston Fleet Edges Ottawa Charge in Physical Playoff Opener

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The PWHL playoffs got underway in dramatic fashion Thursday night as the Boston Fleet hosted the Ottawa Charge for Game 1 at the Tsongas Center. Before a raucous crowd of 4,265, these two rivals picked up right where they left off in the regular season. After four regular-season meetings that all required overtime or a shootout to decide, it was only fitting that Game 1 was a one-goal nail-biter.

This series features an elite goaltending matchup that promised to make every goal a premium. Game 1 pitted Ottawa’s Gwyneth Phillips against Boston’s Aerin Frankel, and both netminders lived up to the billing.

A Wild First Frame

The opening period was a “rough and tumble” twenty minutes of playoff hockey. Officials were busy early, calling six penalties—three for each side. The most significant moment of the period came at the 15:32 mark when Fleet defender Rylind McKinnon was assessed a five-minute major and a game misconduct for head-to-head contact.

The Charge wasted little time capitalizing on the extended man advantage. At 18:06, Jacquie Larocque fired one home off assists from Rory Guilday and Rebecca Leslie to give Ottawa a 1-0 lead. Despite the penalty trouble, Boston outshot Ottawa 7-5 in a period that saw a staggering 25 penalty minutes in total.

Fleet Storms Back in the Second

The physical play intensified in the second period, but the story shifted to Boston’s ability to find their rhythm at even strength. While the Fleet struggled on the power play (finishing the night 0-for-5), they dominated the middle frame, outshooting Ottawa 15-5.

Boston finally broke through at 17:56 when Alina Muller beat Phillips “upstairs” from the left wing. Jessie Eldridge and Megan Keller picked up the assists on the equalizer. Then, with momentum firmly on their side, Jamie Lee Rattray took a pass from Eldridge just before the intermission, fought off two Ottawa defenders, and beat Phillips’s five-hole on the backhand. It was Rattray’s first career playoff goal, sending Boston to the locker room with a 2-1 lead. Both Muller and Eldridge finished the period with two points apiece.

Special Teams Battle to the Finish

The third period became a battle of the penalty kills. By the final horn, Boston’s PK had stifled five of six Ottawa opportunities, while Ottawa’s kill went a perfect 5-for-5.

Ottawa pushed hard for the equalizer in the final minutes, outshooting Boston 8-6 in the period. In the waning moments, Ottawa pulled Phillips (26 saves on 28 shots) for an extra skater, but the Fleet defense remained composed. By sticking to “simple plays” and clearing the zone, Boston held on for the 2-1 victory and a 1-0 series lead. Frankel earned the win with 17 saves on 18 shots.

Post-Game Reactions

Ottawa head coach Carla MacLeod, who has navigated health issues this season, expressed her thrill at being back behind the bench for the postseason. She noted that while game one was an “enhanced” version of regular-season physicality, her team will look to make “small tweaks” for Saturday night. Defenders Rory Guilday and Jacquie Larocque echoed that sentiment, noting they embraced the physical nature of the game and hope to use it to their advantage going forward.

On the Boston side, head coach Kris Sparre praised his team’s resilience. With 15 players making their professional playoff debuts, Sparre was impressed with the Fleet’s ability to stay disciplined and execute under pressure.

Jamie Lee Rattray described the atmosphere in Lowell as “a lot of fun for a Thursday night,” noting the team had each other’s backs from the morning skate through the final horn. Alina Muller admitted it wasn’t an easy game to play, given the constant whistle for special teams, but she credited the team’s grit for pulling through.

Game 2 is set for Saturday night back at the Tsongas Center.

Quick Stat Check: Boston was dominant in the second period (15-5 shots), but Ottawa actually outshot them in the third. Do you think Ottawa’s “small tweaks” will focus on getting more pucks to the net earlier, or is their priority fixing that 1-for-6 power play?