Ottawa Looks To Rebound Following Opening Game Loss To Montreal

If one were to have created a checklist of what they'd want to see from an opening game of the Finals, Game One likely would have delivered on just about all of them, although that ultimately comes down to which bench one aligned themselves with. Scoring chances that left fans on the edge of their seats, championship-worthy saves at both ends, empty net misses that would have secured a victory, a game-tying goal with seconds left on the clock, and a game that needed to go beyond regulation to be decided. The game ultimately could have gone either way, which is a good position for both teams to be in heading into Game Two.

Credit: The PWHL

For the Ottawa Charge, being down 1-0 in these playoffs is nothing new, as they found themselves in this exact position following the opening game of the semifinal matchup against the Boston Fleet. How did the Charge respond in Game Two? By winning the only game of the series by more than one goal, defeating the Fleet 3-1 on goals from Ronja Savolainen, Fanuza Kadirova, and an empty net goal from Gabbie Hughes. But let's dive deeper.

In the opening game of that semifinal series, Ottawa, which is normally strong at the faceoff dot, was outworked, losing that battle 63.3% to 36.7%. The team also never mustered more double-digit shots on goal in any of the three periods. In addition, a team that prides itself on getting in the shooting lanes and blocking shots lost sight of that, finishing the game with only five total blocked shots.

Then came Game Two, a reset that included more elements of "Charge hockey," albeit with undeniable room for improvement. The team rebounded and led in the faceoff dot, 50.8% to 49.2%, blocked 16 shots, and, while still unable to climb into double digits in shots on goal, at least they led in one period (9-8 in the second). Ottawa was also able to stay out of the box, going from five penalty kills down to a measly two, both of which were taken early in the first period.