Can Ottawa Go Back-To-Back?

Ottawa is coming off a win last night over Toronto. Can they make it back to back wins tonight against Boston?

After a win 3-1-win last night, Ottawa will remain home and play Boston for the first time this season.

With a 1-1-0-2 record, Boston also lost a game due to their postponed match originally scheduled on January 8th. The game tonight is not the makeup game.

After a couple of 3-2 victories over Montreal and Toronto, Boston fell to New York in their last game on the 23rd. Emma Soderberg was pulled early in the second after allowing 3 goals on 13 shots. On home ice, they fell to a score of 4-1. Though they have a -2-goal differential, Boston has been strong in the penalty kill department. With only 9 penalties taken, they have kept a 100% rating. They are the only team in the league to do so.

Boston has also won both their games on the road, but have yet to play at TD Place.

Player to watch: Jamie Lee Rattray

The Kanata native will have her first homecoming in the nation’s capital. She played four seasons on the Ottawa Lady Senators of the Provincial WHL from 2006-2010. The forward then commited to Clarkson University of the NCAA for four seasons, where she scored 181 points in 147 games. Rattray has been a long time member of Canada's national team including at the 2022 Winter Olympics, where she notched nine points in seven games. 

Through four games this season, she is one of Boston’s top scorers with three assists. She has gone pointless in her last two games but has the ability to put the puck in the net. Her 11 goals in 20 games was second in the entire PWHPA last season.

Fresh off of a win under 24 hours ago, Ottawa will look to finish the week on a high note. While Toronto had the edge in the shot department last game, Ottawa locked down in the later stages of the game. An empty net goal by Lexie Adzija gave Ottawa an insurance marker, capping off a 3-1 victory. They sit third in the league with eight points in four games, and have the ability to leap past Montreal for second place.

While Boston’s penalty has been stellar, Ottawa (on paper) would be the team to break it. Their power play rate is 26.7%, good for first in the league.

Player to watch: Lexie Adzija

Lexie Adzija has been a pleasant surprise for Ottawa this season, as she currently leads the team in points with four. She’s recorded a point in every game so far and is doing so on the fourth line. She has been a strong player on special teams, recording a goal shorthanded and on the power play. In Ottawa’s past two home games, Adzija has scored in both of them.

It should be another packed crowd at TD Place tonight, and Ottawa will look to create a potential winning streak before they play Montreal on Saturday. For viewers, the game will be broadcasted on TSN and live streamed on YouTube.