Upon the completion of the regular season, Ottawa’s power play ranked third in the league at 17.8% while Boston’s finished fifth at 14.0%. Ottawa has seen the player advantage 14 times over the four games, while Boston has seen it 13 times, so it's a virtual tie. How many goals were scored? A total of two, one for each side, meaning another draw.

Credit: The PWHL

Where things get interesting here is breaking down the road vs home power play and penalty kill. Simply put, Ottawa is much better on the power play, ranking third in the league both at home (20.9%) and away (14.9%). Boston, by contrast, is a much better penalty-killing team, ranking second at home (95.1%) and first on the road (88.1%).

Charge fans are well versed in how effective forward Jessie Eldridge can be on the power play from her time with the Torrent, and she’s been just as effective with the Fleet. Both she and Keller lead Boston in power play goals with four apiece, while Ottawa’s led by, unsurprisingly, Jenner and Leslie with four each as well. Once again, we have another draw.

Goaltending

There is every expectation that this series will see a goaltending duel that will make for a can’t-miss TV. Boston’s Aerin Frankel has been lights out, and has more than lived up to the “Green Monster” moniker, finishing the season with a 1.17 goals against average, a .953 save percentage and a league-record eight shutouts.

Ottawa’s Gwyneth Philips has been steady once again in goal, especially during the team’s four-game winning streak. Over that time, she’s earned her own moniker of “Fort Philips,” with a .985 save percentage and a .50 goals against, along with two shutouts.

There is no doubt that Philips will continue her outstanding performance, but the edge here goes to her Northeastern teammate Frankel.

X-Factors

There are players on both sides who could be difference makers for their respective squads, and we’re going to start with Ottawa’s Ronja Savolainen, who has been clutch for the Charge. She finished the season with four primary assists on game-winning goals, including two on overtime winners. Sticking with Ottawa, a conversation about x-factors would not be complete without stating the most obvious name: Sarah Wozniewicz. The “Wizard of Woz,” as she’s become known, can take over a game and score brilliant goals, as she did against Toronto in the season finale.

Credit: The PWHL

Boston has a few, many of whom have already been mentioned. Eldridge, Keller and Frankel all fall into this category, but this is where Abby Newhook enters the conversation. Speaking of clutch, that’s what Newhook was for the Fleet in her rookie campaign. Able to score in all situations, at both ends of the ice, and remain disciplined in the process, she is a name to watch.

The best-of-five series between the Ottawa Charge and Boston Fleet gets underway on Thursday, April 30, at 7:00 pm at the Tsongas Center and will feature a matchup that has all the hallmarks of classic playoff hockey.