Ottawa Looks To Rebound Following Opening Game Loss To Montreal

If one were to have created a checklist of what they'd want to see from an opening game of the Finals, Game One likely would have delivered on just about all of them, although that ultimately comes down to which bench one aligned themselves with. Scoring chances that left fans on the edge of their seats, championship-worthy saves at both ends, empty net misses that would have secured a victory, a game-tying goal with seconds left on the clock, and a game that needed to go beyond regulation to be decided. The game ultimately could have gone either way, which is a good position for both teams to be in heading into Game Two.

For the Ottawa Charge, being down 1-0 in these playoffs is nothing new, as they found themselves in this exact position following the opening game of the semifinal matchup against the Boston Fleet. How did the Charge respond in Game Two? By winning the only game of the series by more than one goal, defeating the Fleet 3-1 on goals from Ronja Savolainen, Fanuza Kadirova, and an empty net goal from Gabbie Hughes. But let's dive deeper.

In the opening game of that semifinal series, Ottawa, which is normally strong at the faceoff dot, was outworked, losing that battle 63.3% to 36.7%. The team also never mustered more double-digit shots on goal in any of the three periods. In addition, a team that prides itself on getting in the shooting lanes and blocking shots lost sight of that, finishing the game with only five total blocked shots.

Then came Game Two, a reset that included more elements of "Charge hockey," albeit with undeniable room for improvement. The team rebounded and led in the faceoff dot, 50.8% to 49.2%, blocked 16 shots, and, while still unable to climb into double digits in shots on goal, at least they led in one period (9-8 in the second). Ottawa was also able to stay out of the box, going from five penalty kills down to a measly two, both of which were taken early in the first period.

Game Two also marked the coming-out party for Fanuza Kadirova, who scored her first goal of the playoffs, en route to taking the scoring lead heading into the Finals. Her effectiveness on each and every shift through the remainder of the series was undeniable.

Ottawa has been in this position before, against an elite goaltender and a group of players with tremendous offensive upside, but found a way to contain (or at least mitigate) their output. And that's exactly what the Charge will have to do to rebound similarly in Game Two. Without finding a way to contain Marie-Philip Poulin, Laura Stacey and Abby Roque, which is without a doubt far easier said than done, this series will be over a lot quicker than many fans, especially in the nation's capital, were hoping for.

Game One of the Walter Cup Finals between the Ottawa Charge and Montreal Victoire had all the hallmarks of what should end up being a thrilling five-game series. And while Montreal came out victorious, the Charge have recent success on their side, which saw the team bounce back to win three straight, something they'll look to do one more time.