The Ottawa Charge returned home following their heartbreaking 2-1 overtime loss to the Minnesota Frost on Monday night, unable to bring the Walter Cup north of the border after falling 3-1 in the best-of-five series.
While emotions remained high as they exited the bus, preparing to say goodbye to their teammates, their friends, for the final time before they depart the city, there was a clear sense of optimism for what they accomplished together.
“It was a really tight series between us and Minnesota and obviously a disappointing end result,” said Rebecca Leslie. “But I’m really proud of our group and the way that we battled throughout the second half of our season and (in the playoffs).”
Ottawa entered the postseason as underdogs, needing a win in their final regular season game to secure their playoff spot, but quickly silenced the doubters with their disciplined play and defensive structure. They took down the league-leading Montreal Victoire in four games, and needed overtime in every game during their run in the Finals against Minnesota.
For goaltender Gwyneth Philips, playing in her first professional season and captivating the fans with her unforgettable playoff performance, which earned her the Ilana Kloss Playoff MVP award, it wasn’t just the results on the ice that made the year memorable.
“It's really cool to be a part of this movement in women's sports, but especially here in Ottawa,” she said. “We had such an amazing fan base. Every game was packed. Signs are second to none. So, you know, it's really special to play in front of such an amazing city and such amazing fans.”
Ottawa, like every team, enters the offseason with uncertainty. Foundational players will be lost to expansion and free agency, and the roster will look different come next fall. But there is no doubt this group left its mark.
They came together when it mattered most and captured the heart of a city, and in doing so, they showed how strong the women’s game is and why Ottawa is exactly the kind of hockey town where it can thrive.