Marathon in Ottawa: Charge Upend First-Place Fleet in Record Shootout

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In a historic display of goaltending and nerves of steel, the Ottawa Charge edged out the league-leading Boston Fleet 3-2 on Saturday afternoon. The contest was decided in an eight-round shootout, the longest in PWHL history, in front of a capacity crowd of 8,497 at TD Place.

The Goaltending Duel: Philips vs. Frankel

The afternoon was defined by a spectacular battle between two former Northeastern University teammates: Ottawa’s Gwyneth Philips and Boston’s Aerin Frankel.

Gwyneth Philips (OTT): Stopped 34 of 36 shots in regulation/OT and denied six of eight shooters in the marathon shootout to earn her first-ever PWHL shootout win.
Aerin Frankel (BOS): Was equally formidable with 30 saves, though she was ultimately beaten by back-to-back goals from Ottawa’s captain in the final rounds.

Regulation & Drama

Ottawa struck first in the opening period when defender Stephanie Markowski buried her first goal of the season. Boston’s rookies took over in the second; Olivia Mobley tied the game midway through the frame, and No. 2 overall pick Haley Winn sniped her first career PWHL goal with just 20 seconds left in the period to give Boston a 2-1 lead.

With the Fleet looking to lock down their league-best defense, Ottawa’s Fanuza Kadirova electrified the home crowd with a one-handed effort that trickled across the goal line with just 2:58 remaining in regulation, forcing the extra session.

The Eight-Round Shootout

After a scoreless five-minute 3-on-3 overtime, the teams entered the longest shootout the young league has ever seen.

Round	Result	Key Moment
Early Rounds	Tied	Haley Winn and Hannah Brandt converted for Boston.
Round 7	OTT Goal	Captain Brianne Jenner scored to keep Ottawa alive.
Round 8	OTT Goal	Brianne Jenner scored again to seal the victory.

Jenner, taking advantage of the PWHL rule allowing teams to use the same shooter multiple times after the initial three rounds, went back-to-back to secure Ottawa’s third consecutive extra-time victory.

Stat of the Game

8: The number of rounds required to decide the winner, surpassing the previous PWHL record. This was also Ottawa’s first home shootout since the inaugural season.

What This Means for the Standings

Despite the loss, the Boston Fleet (6-0-1-1) remain in first place, picking up a single point for the shootout loss. The Ottawa Charge (1-3-0-5) continue their “overtime specialist” reputation, having now won three straight games in extra time (previously defeating Toronto and Minnesota).

Three Stars of the Night

Brianne Jenner (OTT): 2 shootout goals, including the winner.
Gwyneth Philips (OTT): 34 saves and 6/8 in the shootout.
Haley Winn (BOS): 1st career goal and a shootout conversion.

QUOTES

Charge Brianne Jenner on letting Head Coach Carla MacLeod know that she wanted to try to end the shootout with a second goal in a row. “A lot of players want to be put into a position to help their team win. I think I saw some stuff on my first shot. I wanted another crack at it.”

Ottawa’s Gwyneth Philips on extra incentive when facing Team USA partner and former Northeastern Huskies teammate Aerin Frankel. “I try to approach every game the same way. It’s fun to play Aerin. It’s fun to play a lot of goalies in this league. It’s an elite group. I knew we were going to face a top-tier goalie. She’s been on this season, so I knew I’d had to bring in my A-Game, as well.”

Boston Head Coach Kris Sparre on the game overall and the impact of Frankel: “I thought it was an entertaining game for sure. You get to see overtime and a shootout that lasted quite a long time. It was a competitive game on both sides — big saves on both sides. [Aerin Frankel] is a stable piece for us, for sure, and gives us a chance to win every night.”

Boston defender Zoe Boyd on returning to Ottawa: “It was a really special feeling. I love the city here, I love the fans. Super humbling to get to come back here, be in this building, and see some familiar faces.”