With three games left and a playoff spot on the line, the Ottawa Charge are leaning on a "next shift" mentality. Gabbie Hughes says the message is simple: focus on the shift in front of you.
With three games left on the 2025-26 season, the Ottawa Charge currently hold the fourth and final playoff spot following a remarkable 42-save performance from Gwyneth Philips in a 2-0 shutout of the Toronto Sceptres. And while that game certainly had its opportunities, for Gabbie Hughes and her Charge teammates, it was all about adopting a "next shift" mentality that guided them to victory.
"After each period in the locker room, we just talked about the things that we needed to clean up, but also not adding any pressure," said Hughes. "It was a huge game, and we were trying just to stay focused on making the next shift better than the one that you just had, and trying to really just focus on being where our feet are rather than the results."
This team has proven, especially of late, that when they take the "next shift" approach, they can string together strong periods of hockey. Take the prior two games, for example, where, despite the results on the scoresheet, there was much to like about their play on the ice. In their previous two games, against Montreal and Seattle, respectively, the team had 39 shots on goal. The issue wasn't generating chances, it was that puck luck wasn't on their side.
"It's kind of funny how hockey works sometimes," Hughes said. "But our leadership group has cultivated a great culture here. They're never too high, never too low. So even in those moments, when we look at them, they're just like 'Let's do this. We got this.'"
Once again, Ottawa finds itself in charge of its own destiny. Remarkably, it took to this point, late in the season, before a team, the Seattle Torrent, was officially eliminated from the playoffs. The remaining teams are all fighting for that coveted fourth spot, and all have a game in hand over the Charge. But just like the leaders guiding this team, Hughes is confident this team has the pieces to put it together for another run at the Walter Cup.
"At this point in the season, you're not going to reinvent the wheel," she said. "We already know what we have to do. We have been doing it all year long, showing glimpses here and there. We just have to commit to doing it for a full 60 minutes for these next three games and really show we're gonna be in the playoffs and show the fans what we're made of."
Ottawa will have to wait until Saturday for its next game, a matchup against the New York Sirens, who are on the hunt for their first playoff berth. The Sirens hold a 2-1 series record against the Charge this season, outscoring them 13-6, including a 6-2 win in their last meeting on March 8 in New York.
Over the next few days, the Ottawa Charge will focus on putting the pieces together, stringing together strong periods of play they've shown they can, all so they can lock down their spot for another run at the Walter Cup.