"It Hurts" - PWHL Ottawa Misses The Playoffs

PWHL Ottawa needed one win in their final three games. They didn't get it, and the result was a painful miss of the playoffs in their inaugural season.

So close yet so far.

That was the story of PWHL Ottawa’s season.

Ottawa had three chances to clinch a playoff spot and failed each time to secure a spot. In their final game of the season, their flaws rose to the surface to haunt Ottawa.

“It hurts of course in the room, it hurts in the coach's room and hurts in the players room,” said Carla MacLeod.

Ottawa gave up poorly timed goals, were unable to capitalize when they built momentum, were outdueled in net and were unable to turn an otherwise good performance into a win. For coach Carla Macleod, all season she zeroed in on process over results. In the end, the results beat out the process for PWHL Ottawa.

“We have played some pretty good hockey and for whatever reason, and there's lots of reasons, you know, maybe we didn't get the outcome we wanted.”

Simply put, it was a disappointment that Ottawa in the position they were in did not finish the job and make the playoffs.

Ottawa throughout the entire season put itself in great positions but often than not they found ways to lose.

In a must win, season on the line defining game. Ottawa was uninspired, giving up a goal 1 minute into the game, unable to capitalize on a 5 minute power play and instead of managing a way to tie the game, they floundered in the third period. Ottawa’s 5-2 loss to Toronto epitomized Ottawa’s season, right there in the game until they weren’t.

In retrospect Ottawa didn’t miss the playoffs due to their game against Toronto but in piecemeal bites of mistakes, poor execution and inability to rise to the challenge in games. Ottawa had a lead late in their first game of franchise history but were unable to hold on and lost in overtime. That became the theme to begin the season, Ottawa had leads but could not hold onto them falling in overtime in 4 of their first 7 games including dropping losing after holding a 3-0 lead to PWHL NY with 5 minutes left in the third period and giving up a goal to Boston with 52 seconds left in regulation to lose. If Ottawa saw both those games through, which they conceivably could have. They would be in the PWHL playoffs.

Playoff teams find ways to win. Ottawa was tentative and unsure of themselves to begin the season.

After a slow start to the season where they won 2 of their first 9 games despite outshooting and out-chancing in all but one of the first 9 games.

Then Ottawa managed to regroup thanks to a resurgence from Emerance Maschmeyer and the line of Daryl Watts, Katerina Mrazova and Brianne Jenner who combined for 35 points in 10 games as Ottawa headed into the International break on a heater snapping PWHL Toronto’s 11 game winning streak. GM Mike Hirshfeld decided to make bold decisions at the deadline, trading Amanda Boulier for Tereza Vanisova and fan favourite Lexie Adzija for Shiann Darkangelo. In the end, Ottawa was depleted on their backend, playing their top 4 defenders over 20 minutes a night with the loss of Boulier. Meanwhile, Adzija racked up 4 points with Boston while Darkengelo was scoreless.

Ottawa nevertheless came out of the gates with two wins following the additions, with an enormous win over Boston in Overtime that seemingly put Ottawa in the driver’s seat for the playoffs.

Ottawa promptly lost a tightly contested game to Montreal where Savannah Harmon thought she had tied the game late, but the goal was disallowed for goaltender interference. Ottawa then played the worst team in the PWHL in NY, squandering a 2-0 lead after the first period, it was their golden opportunity but was met with a calamitous 2nd period where they gave up 4 goals in 8:33 going onto lose 4-3.

“There's a lot of chances, a lot of one goal, a lot of one goal games that we wish we could have back," said Brianne Jenner.

The damage was done heading into the final game of the season. All the little missed opportunities had added up. Ottawa continually put themselves in a great position to win and make the playoffs but never capitalized.

“We battled all season long. And I'd rather lose badly until the very end and on our toes, then lose scared to lose. And I think that we weren't scared to lose,” said Emily Clark.

Ottawa never showed quit, but questions will be asked heading into the off-season.

“There's so many times that we could have internally fallen apart and grew apart, but we battled every single game, no matter the outcome of the previous game,” said Clark.

Despite no playoffs on the agenda for Ottawa, when examining Ottawa’s did what any team in its first season is hoping for. Create a fan base. They sure as hell did.

Ottawa cultivated a loyal fan base through their never quit attitude. Ottawa ended the PWHL regular season with the highest average attendance of 7496 fans per game. Players after every home win would serenade the crowd with a rousing thunderclap with fans.

In the end, this PWHL season was about growing women’s hockey and allowing the best women’s hockey players in the world to have a professional league. Ottawa success off-the ice will hopefully lead to more success on the ice next season.

“This offseason, we're going to be pretty motivated. Hopefully this is the first step in the eventual success story.”