Charge Win in New York Brings Them Within Striking Distance of Minnesota

In a season where every point matters, the Ottawa Charge made a statement on Saturday afternoon with a 5-2 victory over the New York Sirens at Prudential Center, bringing them within striking distance of Minnesota in the PWHL playoff race.

Tereza Vanišová stole the show, recording her second hat trick of the season and becoming the first player in league history to notch multiple hat tricks in a single campaign. The win marks Ottawa’s third consecutive victory on the road against the Sirens this season and sets the tone for what’s shaping up to be a close playoff chase.

With just six games remaining, Ottawa now trails fourth-place Minnesota by only two points, while New York’s playoff hopes continue to fade as they remain six points back of the Charge with five games left to play.

Charge’s Playoff Push Gaining Momentum

Ottawa approached this matchup with the urgency of a team already in postseason mode.

“The mentality. It is playoff hockey at this point,” head coach Carla MacLeod said after the game. “It’s about learning to embrace that. It comes with a gritty style of play. That’s what our crew did really well.”

Ottawa’s identity was on full display in Newark. Brianne Jenner opened the scoring with a power-play goal late in the first period, her fourth of the season and team-leading third on the advantage. That strike would prove pivotal, extending Ottawa’s perfect record to 11-0 over the past two seasons when Jenner finds the back of the net.

The Sirens briefly swung momentum their way midway through the second period, capitalizing on one of their six power plays when Ella Shelton fired home her seventh goal of the year to tie the game 1-1. But Vanišová quickly silenced the home crowd with two goals in a 2:18 span to close out the period, giving Ottawa a cushion they wouldn’t relinquish.

Responding to Roque’s Magic

The game’s viral moment came early in the third period when Sirens forward Abby Roque pulled off the league’s first-ever 'Michigan' goal to cut Ottawa’s lead to 3-2.

Michigan native. Michigan goal. pic.twitter.com/glkr4X0sed

— New York Sirens (@PWHL_NewYork) March 22, 2025

“Yeah, it's cool, obviously,” Roque said. “Would’ve been a little better if we had made the comeback from there, but it's something that has become a joke and we say every day when I come to the rink: ‘Michigan today,’ and I don't actually mean it, but the opportunity presented itself, so I had to try.”

The Charge, however, weren’t rattled. Less than two minutes later, Vanišová completed her hat trick, shifting the momentum firmly back to Ottawa. Emily Clark added a late insurance marker, continuing her strong run with goals in all three of the Charge’s wins in New York this season.

“It always feels good to score goals,” Vanišová said. “I’m just glad we won this game. It’s very important for us, because now, every game is like a playoff game for us. This win was huge.”

🚨 Tereza Vanišová (13)
🍎 Shiann Darkangelo
🍏 Brianne Jenner pic.twitter.com/kCFCpGLeJo

— Ottawa Charge (@PWHL_Ottawa) March 22, 2025

Secondary Scoring and Blue Line Production Power Ottawa

Ottawa’s victory wasn’t just about the top line. Gabbie Hughes and Jincy Roese each contributed two assists, with Roese setting a new single-season franchise record for assists by a defender (10). Hughes’ playmaking now gives her 11 points in her last nine games, quietly becoming one of the Charge’s most reliable offensive threats.

Between the pipes, rookie goaltender Gwyneth Philips stood tall once again, turning aside 34 shots for her fourth win of the season. The Charge penalty kill, which faced six Sirens power plays including a tense 6-on-4 late in the third period, proved critical in preserving the lead.

“Puck possession made the difference for us today,” MacLeod added. “We had some big kills on our penalties all the way to the end with that six on four.”

Sirens’ Struggles Continue Despite Fan Support

New York has now allowed four or more goals in a league-high nine games this season and struggled to keep pace despite moments of brilliance from Roque and Shelton.

Still, the energy inside Prudential Center remained high throughout, as the Sirens faithful packed the lower bowl in their biggest turnout of the season.

“We're sitting last place right down in the standings and our fans are continuing to show up for us,” said Jaime Bourbonnais. “They're all so passionate — almost everyone has a jersey, everyone has a sign. That really helps us, it brings us a lot of momentum.”

What’s Next?

The Charge will now head home to TD Place to host the Sirens in a rematch on Tuesday night, looking to continue their playoff push. Meanwhile, New York will need to regroup fast if they hope to remain in contention.

With Ottawa holding a game in hand over Minnesota and momentum on their side, the next two weeks could prove decisive in determining who claims the final playoff spot.