The Ottawa Charge picked up a crucial 4-3 win over Seattle on Wednesday, but a familiar pattern of inconsistency raises questions about whether this team can sustain its best hockey as they prepare for a month-long road trip.
Three points are three points, and Wednesday night's 4-3 win over the Seattle Torrent pushes the Ottawa Charge into fourth place and a playoff spot just before they hit the road for the month of March. But the way this game unfolded raises questions heading into that stretch: what does this team actually look like when it is firing on all cylinders, and how do they sustain it?
The Charge have gone loss, win, loss, win, loss in their last five games heading into tonight, and while some games went beyond regulation, the pattern points to a team that has not yet found a way to consistently sustain its best hockey. The second period has been a specific problem. After their loss to Boston, captain Brianne Jenner was direct about what she saw. "I think we looked pretty disorganized," Jenner said. "I thought the effort was there, but I think we have to find a way to get back to a better overall game." Head coach Carla MacLeod echoed that sentiment, also pointing to the second period as the worst stretch of play in that game. Against Seattle, the same period was where Ottawa unravelled again, getting outshot 17-7 and surrendering two power play goals to Jessie Eldridge to turn a 2-0 lead into a 3-2 edge heading to the third. Seattle then tied the game before Ottawa found the winner late.
One of the highlights in this game was the play of the defenders, who contributed to all four Charge goals. They weren't just passing the puck to exit the zone; they joined the rush and weren't afraid to be creative with the puck.
Success from the back end in this game starts and ends with the play of Kate Reilly, who assisted on both Fanuza Kadirova's first-period goal and Emily Clark's second-period tally.
"I think it speaks to Clarky. She's such a great leader and a wonderful teammate," Reilly said. "It's such a privilege to be on this team, but Clarky, and Mrázka, and Fanuza all made it super easy for me to get the points, so that was nice."
Those two points were the first of her PWHL career and showcased the offensive talent that helped make her so successful at the collegiate level. Going down the line, the team saw contributions from Emma Greco, who secured her first point with the team, assisting on Alexa Vasko's first goal of the season to open the scoring. Ronja Savolainen used her offensive instincts and chipped in with a primary assist on Kadirova's game-winning goal late in the third period.
Even the defenders who didn't find their names on the scoresheet contributed in meaningful ways. Rory Guilday continues to look anything but a first-year player, using her size and skating abilities to make smart plays to exit the zone and is always a threat with that booming shot from the point. Brooke Hobson continues to impress, using the boards to her advantage and closing the gaps quickly. Jocelyne Larocque showcased her footspeed at times throughout the game, particularly on the backcheck.
"It's a little bit bewildering," said MacLeod. "You're doing things the simple way, the right way, and then you think why are we veering from it. Obviously, we don't want that. We have to stay the course with what we know is working for us."
Fans, players and coaches all see the talent on this team, and that the structure can work. What this upcoming road trip will help to show is whether this team can maintain their consistency, play to its strengths, and string wins together in a league where every point matters.