Ann-Renee Desbiens made 31 saves for Montreal in a 2-0 road shutout against Ottawa. Ottawa needed a win to secure their playoff spot but Montreal played spoiler.
Ann-Renee Desbiens made 31 saves for Montreal in a 2-0 road shutout against Ottawa. Ottawa needed a win to secure their playoff spot but Montreal played spoiler.
It’s not always a storybook ending in sports. PWHL Ottawa had one goal heading into their final home regular season game of the season. Win and clinch a playoff spot. They were unable to do that and to add insult to injury the “Out of Town” scoreboard didn’t go their way either.
Heading into the game there were multiple scenarios, for Ottawa to clinch a playoff berth but the simplest was win in Regulation and you’re in.
Ottawa started the game well, however found themselves in trouble taking three careless stick infractions but were able to kill the penalties off thanks to limiting Montreal to the outside while blocking shots at key moments. The prime example was Becca Gilmore on Montreal’s second powerplay when she blocked a shot with her wrist and then blew up a backdoor pass with a deflection and then cleared it. Meanwhile, Daryl Watts showed why she might be the most talented forward on Ottawa as she dipsy doodle around a Montreal defender but was denied by Anne Renee Desbiens, later on she silkily sifted through the Montreal defence to rocket a shot at the net but missed.
After 1 period it remained scoreless but not because of a lack of effort.
The second period was much less positive for Ottawa who only generated 2 shots in the period.
“Montreal up their game in the second period,” said head coach of PWHL Ottawa Carla MacLeod.
Montreal sure did up their game and they were rewarded.
The breakthrough came quickly in the second, when Laura Stacey made it 1-0 Montreal, thanks to a terrible turnover from Aneta Tejralova, who threw the puck right into the slot that Stacey one-timed home.
Ottawa continued to be careless with the puck allowing Montreal to create chance after chance. Ottawa’s defence could not deal with Montreal’s forecheck, leading to poor turnovers in their own end personified in Montreal’s first goal forcing Maschmeyer to make multiple key saves.
Despite being outshot 10-2, Ottawa found themselves only down one goal heading into the third period.
A different PWHL Ottawa team came out in the third period.
Ottawa threw 21 shots at Desbiens in the period from everywhere. Hayley Scamurra had an open net following a scramble of shots but Desbiens reached out to grab the puck. Later, Jincy Roese split the defence to get a breakaway but was stopped by Desbiens.
Ottawa kept peppering and putting tons of pressure on Desbiens.
For a time it seemed like Ottawa had tied the game late in the third, when Savannah Harmon buried a rebound past Desbiens following a sequence of a barrage of chances on the Montreal netminder.
However, Desbiens told her coach Kori Cheverie to challenge as she felt Becca Gilmore had impeded her ability to make the save.
Desbiens and Cheverie’s bet to make a coach’s challenge worked as the goal was disallowed for Goaltender interference.
“Very frustrating,” said Daryl Watts. “ A little bit heartbreaking, but it's hockey. So it is what it is.”
To add insult to injury, Maureen Murphy scores with 1:48 left in the game to seal the 2-0 win for Montreal.
In the meantime within minutes, PWHL Boston was quite literally seconds away from going to overtime and not securing the full 3 points until Hannah Brandt won the game with 3 seconds left to vault Boston to a tie in points with Ottawa.
The hope is that it was not Ottawa’s final game at TD Place this season.
“It’s tough not to get the last regular season win for them today,” said Daryl Watts. “ But hopefully we'll win our next two games so we can come back here for the playoffs because I can't even imagine the atmosphere here for the playoffs.”
The message is clear for Ottawa after a disparaging loss that could come back to bite them in their attempt for the playoffs.
“We’re okay, we’re okay,” said Carla MacLeod. “Whatever happens we still control our own fate.”
That they do, Ottawa still controls their fate as 1 regulation win in one of their last two games or cumulatively earning 4 points from the last two games will earn themselves a playoff spot.
Ottawa for the second time will have a chance to cement themselves into the playoffs on Tuesday against the last place PWHL NYC.