PWHL Ottawa has lost three straight, a streak they'll look to snap tonight against Minnesota in their first game south of the border.
PWHL Ottawa has lost three straight, a streak they'll look to snap tonight against Minnesota in their first game south of the border.
After a 10-day layoff, PWHL Ottawa will be back in action against Minnesota tonight at 8pm Eastern. It will be only their third away game, with a chunk of their season spent at TD Place. Ottawa enters Minnesota with a record of 2-0-4-1, an odd record to say the least. On one hand, they’ve managed to pick up points in six of seven games. Swinging the other way, they’ve lost some crucial points from blown leads.
Last Matchup: January 17th, 3-2 OT Win for Minnesota
A common theme this season, Ottawa came out with purpose in the first period and went into the first intermission with a 2-0 lead. Minnesota capitalized off of a Susanna Tapani power play goal and followed up with a Grace Zumwinkle shorthanded goal. Tied at two in overtime, a deflection shot from Susanna Tapani gave Minnesota the win.
A Look At PWHL Minnesota
After opening the season with a 4-0-0-1 record, Minnesota slid a bit going 0-1-1-2 in their next four. Their toughest loss this season was their last one against Toronto with a 4-1 loss. However, the team still sits second in the league at 3-2-2-2. It has been a close race between them and Montreal this season, and a win would put them back atop of the league. Minnesota struggles at speciality teams, going 4.2% on the power play and 78.6% on the penalty kill.
Player to watch: Lee Stecklein
If Ottawa wants to get past the Minnesota defense, then Stecklein will be right there at the front. The two-way defender has the ability to beat anyone on offense or on defense. The Minnesota native is tied for second in defense scoring this year as well. She has been one of the more consistent point scorers in the league, with points in five of her nine games. Time on ice is in the process of being released to the public and hasn’t come out just yet, but we can assume Stecklein is at the top of the list.
A Look At PWHL Ottawa
Ottawa has had a wonky stretch in a three-game losing streak, losing two of the three in overtime. They lost 3-2 in regulation to Boston off of a final minute goal from Theresa Schafzahl and followed that up with overtime losses to Montreal and New York. They’ve spent a good chunk of their season at TD Place, and this will be their first time playing outside of Canada this season. Their power play is clicking at 29.2%, going 7/24 in that stretch.
Player to watch: Savannah Harmon
After a five-point performance in the PWHL showcase during the NHL All-Star weekend, Harmon picked up her play in the returning game against New York last Sunday. She scored her second goal of the season and put up four shots on the board. Arguably Ottawa’s top defender, she scored a point in five of her seven games so far. She has been more active in the play as the year has gone on, so don’t be surprised if she puts up a point or two tonight.
Ottawa will look to snap their three-game losing streak tonight and try to catch teams in the standings. Though they’ve picked up points in all but one game, a regulation win has never been more important. At a 8PM start time, the game will be broadcasted on Bally Sports North Extra and live streamed on YouTube and TSN+.