Jenner and Maschmeyer Shine in Dominant Ottawa Win

Ottawa’s star power was on display Saturday evening as the team tallied four goals against Minnesota. Emerance Maschmeyer had a 35-save shutout, and Brianne Jenner scored a hat trick.

Minnesota controlled play early in the game as Ottawa was caught flat-footed against Minnesota’s speed. Minnesota played Thursday, refreshing the team after the three-week break for the 2024 IIHF World Championship. This was Ottawa’s first game back, and the opening 10 minutes showed that.

Midway through the first period, Minnesota had an 8-1 shot lead. Ottawa coach Carla MacLeod told reporters after the game that Maschmeyer was critical to those early minutes. “When we were finding our feet, her’s were steady,” MacLeod said about Maschmeyer.

Minnesota had an early powerplay advantage when Emily Clark took a tripping penalty. Kendall Coyne Schofield had her second opportunity of the game during the powerplay, but Maschmeyer was rock solid.

Ottawa went on the powerplay about five minutes later and started to turn the momentum around. The play evened out, and the puck flew end to end.

Ottawa scored with an unlucky bounce that hurt Nicole Hensley, the Minnesota netminder. She went behind the net to play a fast-moving puck, and the puck took a funny bounce off the boards and bobbled onto the stick of a charging Jenner who stretched to put the puck into the empty net.

Ottawa ended the period with continued pressure, escaping the first frame with a lead despite being behind in the shots.

Early in the second, Jenner scored again when Clark behind the net fed her the puck.

A Tereza Vanišová penalty gave the Minnesota power play more opportunities to get on the board. But despite heavy pressure, Ottawa’s defence managed to keep the puck away from the net as Minnesota failed to record a shot on the advantage. According to the PWHL website, Ottawa has the third-best penalty kill, working at 85%.

As the penalty to Ottawa expired, the team broke out. Vanišová took the puck out of the box and shot up the left side of the ice. She slid the puck across the crease to an open Ashton Bell, who completed it with a one-timer.

Minnesota put the pressure on Ottawa in the third, but Maschmeyer was in a flow state. “I was seeing the puck well, and today it felt like it was coming easy,” she told reporters. Ottawa took two penalties early in the period, giving Minnesota a five-on-three opportunity. Following the game, Maschmeyer emphasized the strength of the team’s penalty killing. “That’s our specialty,” she told TSN.

Vanišová and Daryl Watts made a pretty play later in the game to set up Jenner for her hat trick goal. A few Ottawa fans threw their caps onto the ice to celebrate their captain.

The race to the playoffs is extremely close. All six teams are within contention, and Ottawa is currently in the last playoff spot. But coach MacLeod told reporters after the game that the team isn’t stressed. “We’re comfortable with where our game is trending, and we’re believing in our identity,” she said.

Ottawa’s next game is Wednesday evening at home against Boston.