PWHL NHL 25 Showdown w' Alyssa & Elisha: Game 1

As the PWHL season winds down the hype for the Walter Cup Playoffs continues to grow. To celebrate to countdown to the playoffs, Alyssa and Elisha are spending the next few weeks facing off against one another in the video game NHL 25 where they each have chosen a team and will do their best to take home the virtual Walter Cup, bragging rights, and a donation of $25 to a charity of their choosing.

Elisha and Alyssa are taking the battle between the Ottawa Charge and the Montreal Victoire to their screens as they began their five game series between one another in NHL 25. With Elisha playing as Ottawa and Alyssa as Montreal, the two TIG creators are battling it out on their Play Stations to see who can win the virtual Walter Cup. Not only will the winner recieve bragging rights and the satisfaction of winning the Walter Cup, the winner will also donate $25 towards a charity of their choice at the end of the series.

Game 1 was a hard fought battle between both teams with Alyssa and the Victoire opening the scoring thanks to a Kristen O'Neil snipe 7 minutes into the game. It didn't take Elisha and the Charge long before answering back as Kateřina Mrázová had the equalizer less than 2 minutes later. With just over a minute remaining in the first period, Claire Dalton took advantage of a loose puck in Maschmeyer's crease and buried it top shelf to take the lead into the intermission.

As the second period began Montreal was outshooting 17-3 and as the puck dropped Elisha mentioned how she "needed to keep things simple" and she did just that. 38 seconds into the second period Jocelyne Larocque blew past Cayla Barnes to spring herself on a breakaway that she made no mistake on. Elisha's plan to keep things simple would continue to benefit Ottawa as the rest of the game went on.

Just past the 10 minute of the second period and Ottawa had their first lead of the game, this time it was Shiann Darkangelo who brought her stellar play this season to the video game world as she hunted down a Ashton Bell point shot rebound and scored the Charge's third of the night.

After Darkangelo's go-ahead goal in the second, Ottawa and Elisha would go on to score three unanswered goals. With Larocque scoring her second of the game late in the second followed by Danielle Serdachny and Gabbie Hughes goals early in the third. A few minutes after Ottawa scored their sixth goal of the game, Clair DeGeorge would bring Montreal some life as she beat Emerence Maschmeyer glove side. Maureen Murphy would bring the Victoire within 2 but it was a little too late for a comeback.

Elisha and the Charge poured a bit of salt in the wound as Kateřina Mrázová finished off a pretty cross crease pass from Ashton Bell with 16 seconds left in the game.

Elisha and the Ottawa Charge would go on to take the series lead with their 7-4 victory over Alyssa and the Montreal Victoire. Game 2 will be next week as the Charge have the opportunity to put Montreal on the brink. Will Alyssa start Chuli in Game 2? Will Elisha continue to keep things simple? Stay tuned!!