How Ottawa Charge Defeated Minnesota Frost In Game 1 Of Pwhl Finals: Takeaways

OTTAWA — In many ways, it’s fitting that the only local player on the Ottawa Charge would score the first PWHL Finals goal in the city.

After a tight first period, it was Rebecca Leslie who opened the scoring 11:34 into the second period of Game 1. Leslie, who signed with the Charge as a free agent this season, only scored one goal in the regular season for her hometown team, but now has back-to-back opening goals in the postseason.

“The crowd finds it fun when the hometown girl scores,” said Ottawa coach Carla MacLeod. “You’re just thrilled when she’s rewarded and she’s worked hard, she just goes about her business so professionally.

“I think this community is incredibly proud of her. And they should be she’s a heck of a person No. 1 and a phenomenal player.”

????FIRST GOAL OF THE FINALS????@PWHL_Ottawa's Rebecca Leslie brings her hometown to their feet with her second goal of the PWHL Playoffs! pic.twitter.com/H5nvPxs46R

— PWHL (@thepwhlofficial) May 21, 2025

In the end, after Minnesota scored in the third period to force overtime, it was Emily Clark who scored the winner in a 2-1 overtime victory over the Minnesota Frost. Gwyneth Philips made 25 saves on 26 shots to seal her third straight win of the playoffs.

“Tonight was a hard fought game,” Clark said. “To start the series off with a win, especially at home in front of our fans is really special.”

For Ottawa, the series opener was yet another one-goal game. The Charge have now won 13 one-goal games, the most in the PWHL. For the Frost, it was a major change from the high-scoring semifinals against Toronto, where Minnesota scored 18 goals in four games.

The Charge now have a 1-0 series lead.

Here are five takeaways from the game.

The scoreless opening frame

There were no goals in the first period, and there wasn’t much room in the middle of the ice for either team to generate much offense. Minnesota got the first shot of the game, and didn’t register another until around the five-minute mark of the period. Ottawa didn’t test Nicole Hensley for the first seven minutes of the game.

The Frost made it tough for Ottawa to get out of the offensive zone, and any time Ottawa tried to set up, Minnesota skaters were jumping on pucks, forcing turnovers and taking away the high-danger areas of the ice, getting sticks and bodies into shooting lanes.

Midway through the period, though, the ice started to tilt in the other direction. The Charge killed off a Stephanie Markowski penalty and held the Frost to just one shot on goal on the advantage. On their own power play a few minutes later, Ottawa put four shots on goal – compared to just three in the first 13 minutes. They didn’t score, but Ottawa generated momentum on the power play that continued to the end of the period, finishing with nine shots, including a great chance by Gabbie Hughes in the dying seconds of the frame.

Minnesota, meanwhile, didn’t get another shot on goal after Michela Cava’s power-play shot at 8:32.

Leslie breaks through

Not only did Leslie open the scoring in the Finals in her hometown, she also went bardown while facing down Lee Stecklein, one of the best defenders in the world with a long reach and an active stick.

On the goal — which came on the heels of a successful penalty kill by the Charge – Stecklein had her stick extended right in Leslie’s lane. But she got the shot off quickly before Stecklein could get her stick on the puck and disrupt the rush chance.

REBECCA LESLIE OPENS THE SCORING FOR OTTAWA IN THE WALTER CUP FINALS! ????#PWHLpic.twitter.com/GjRSqZkzOj

— TSN (@TSN_Sports) May 21, 2025

“Stecklein’s stick is so long and it makes it extremely difficult to play her,” said Clark. “But Rebecca’s goal was incredible. To be able to get that shot off, let alone the placement of it…It was a huge boost for us.”

Philips’ miscue

No goalie has been better in the playoffs than Philips, who entered the finals with a .956 save percentage and 1.14 goals-against-average. So it was a bit surprising to see her leave the crease and play a puck right to Minnesota forward — and Philips’ former Northeastern teammate — Katy Knoll.

Knoll quickly sent the puck to Klára Hymlárová, who easily put the puck into the open net. It was the third goal scored by Minnesota’s fourth line in the playoffs, once again proving the team has a mix of legitimate star power and depth that can contribute in the biggest moments. The goal ended Philips’ shutout bid 5:24 into the third period and tied the game 1-1.

The goal ➡️ the celly ????‍???? https://t.co/lXWrcNpSRNpic.twitter.com/dN5tzrhoZ8

— x – Minnesota Frost (@PWHL_Minnesota) May 21, 2025

It was an uncharacteristic mistake by Philips, but one that she bounced back from well, stopping the next nine shots she faced to get the Charge to overtime.

“Those little missteps are going to happen. That’s the reality of sport,” said MacLeod. “She just doesn’t let it phase her, and we know that about her too. We knew she was going to continue doing what she’s been doing for us all season, and she certainly did that.”

Not to be ignored completely: Hymlárová’s goal was the third scored by Minnesota’s fourth line in the playoffs, once again proving the team has a mix of legitimate starpower and depth that can contribute in the biggest moments.

“They simplify the game, they get pucks in deep and they go to work,” Minnesota head coach Ken Klee said about the trio of Knoll, Hymlárová and Liz Schepers. “They know what their job is. They all read off each other well and then have good sticks. It’s been great for us to have them, just to help with our scoring because we need everybody.”

The game-winner

Less than three minutes into overtime, Clark led the rush out of the zone and fired a tough angle shot on Hensley that found its way in the back of the net.

“I just saw an opportunity to skate it and tried to get it on net,” she said after the game. “Luckily it went in.”

It was Clark’s second straight game-winning goal of the playoffs, after scoring the winner in Game 4 to advance to the Finals. She now leads the Charge in scoring with two goals and four points through five games.

EMILY CLARK WINS IT IN OT FOR THE CHARGE ⚡

THEY LEAD THE WALTER CUP FINALS 1-0! pic.twitter.com/56xSHck3QP

— Jocks In Jills (@JocksInJills) May 21, 2025

Home ice advantage

Ottawa is now 3-0 in home games in the playoffs thus far, and the home ice advantage is real.

There were 6,184 fans packed into TD Place Arena and they didn’t hold back, from the moment players walked in the building – yes, fans lined up outside just to greet them – to the final buzzer.

The heat has entered the chat ????#SurgingAhead | #OTTvMIN
Ottawa Charge x @WoodyCreekDistipic.twitter.com/6UAygwGFX5

— x – Ottawa Charge (@PWHL_Ottawa) May 20, 2025

It went beyond your typical signs and jerseys throughout the stands. Fans brought kazoos and trumpets, and they prepared cheers to go along with their instruments.

“They’re loud, they’re passionate,” said PWHL executive vice president of hockey operations Jayna Hefford. “Watching on TV, you can feel (the) energy that they have. … It’s an amazing building to be in.”

“Being from Ottawa, just to see how this fan base has gone behind our team, it’s something truly special,” said Leslie. “I don’t think I’ve ever seen so many fans in this building or it ever being this loud.

“It is really an honor for us to continue playing here for this crowd, and we definitely use the crowd for momentum.”

This article originally appeared in The Athletic.

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