The Ottawa Charge secured a dramatic 4-3 victory over the Seattle Torrent on Wednesday night, overcoming both an unusual ice delay and a lost third-period lead to jump into the fourth and final playoff spot in the Professional Women's Hockey League standings.
Game Delayed by Unusual Ice Incident
The game's start was delayed by more than an hour due to an ice integrity issue at TD Place arena. The problem stemmed from a pre-game Indigenous Peoples Celebration Unity Game ceremony where traditional drummers performed on the ice surface.
The official venue explanation stated: "The delay resulted from an ice integrity issue located on the east side of the rink. The placement of carpet and chairs on the ice surface, particularly in an area resurfaced last by the Zamboni and therefore more susceptible to moisture, combined with the length of the pre-game ceremony, the cumulative body heat of the participants, and the presence of a kneeling cameraman, contributed to softening of the ice."
This created a hole measuring approximately 30 cm × 15 cm and 2 cm deep that required repair before the game could safely proceed.
Charge Take Early Control
Once play began, Ottawa came out strong, outshooting Seattle 10-5 in the first period and building a 2-0 lead. Alexa Vasko opened the scoring with her first goal of the season at the 14-minute mark, converting a backhand shot off a rebound from the slot.
Rookie Fanuza Kadirova added her fifth goal of the season less than a minute before the first intermission, finishing a 2-on-1 opportunity after Katerina Mrazova made a precise pass through a defender's skates.
Seattle Mounts Comeback
The second period saw momentum shift as Ottawa encountered penalty trouble. Seattle's Jessie Eldridge capitalized with two power-play goals from nearly identical positions at the left corner of the crease.
Between those Seattle goals, Emily Clark briefly restored Ottawa's two-goal advantage with her third of the season, finishing another 2-on-1 play that was patiently set up by Kathryn Reilly.
Dramatic Third Period Finish
The game took another dramatic turn in the third period when Seattle completed its comeback. After an Ottawa infraction, Alex Carpenter tied the game 3-3 with 9:52 remaining in regulation, converting the PWHL's first-ever successful penalty shot.
With just 1:46 left in the game, Fanuza Kadirova scored her second goal of the night on a power play, giving Ottawa the decisive 4-3 lead. Goaltender Gwyneth Philips preserved the victory with several crucial saves, including one in the final seconds as Seattle outshot Ottawa 36-27 overall.
Playoff Implications
The victory in front of 6,997 fans lifted Ottawa into the fourth and final playoff position with 26 points, two points ahead of both the New York Sirens and Toronto Sceptres. Ottawa has one game in hand on Toronto, while New York has one game in hand on the Charge.
Kadirova, with her two-goal performance, now has five goals on the season, placing her third in team scoring behind Rebecca Leslie and Brianne Jenner. The Russian rookie's timely scoring proved crucial in this pivotal matchup that significantly altered the PWHL playoff landscape.
