As the Ottawa Charge prepare for their PWHL regular season finale against their provincial rivals for a third consecutive season, they understand what’s on the line, and more importantly, how to achieve it.
A single point. That’s all the Charge need to secure their second consecutive playoff berth, but it won’t be easy. They face a desperate Toronto Sceptres team, full of big-game experience, who require a full regulation win to fulfill their playoff dreams. There’s no doubt that they will be looking to play spoiler for the home team.
For Ottawa, they have come together at the right time. Coming into this matchup, the Charge are riding a three-game winning streak, including an overtime win on Wednesday against the Boston Fleet, and have outscored their opponents 9-2 while playing a level of hockey with all the hallmarks of the playoffs.
Ottawa Charge defender Kathryn Reilly (Credit: The PWHL)“We've talked about it before as a group,” interim head coach Haley Irwin said. “The last couple of games really have been just that, right? It's not new to us that tomorrow's a big game, so for us, we don't need to change anything. We just have to be the best versions of ourselves, and it will be a great one.”
And with one final game to decide that coveted final spot, the players know that it means staying the course and not trying to reinvent the wheel.
“I think it's just managing that excitement and kind of those little bit of nerves that is excitement,” defender Rory Guilday said. “I think not getting overzealous by the noise of the crowd, and just outside factors. I think just staying true to your team, doing what you always do.”
For Jocelyne Larocque, an assistant captain on this team, it’s about leaning on past experiences, and reminding herself and her teammates about the highs and lows of a season, but not to be defined by any one mistake or play.
Ottawa Charge forward Rebecca Leslie (Credit: The PWHL)“The more on the line, the higher the level, the more mistakes actually happen,” she said. “And that's what I try to share with players coming into this league, coming into these big games, is that there's actually more mistakes, but it's how you respond.”
And there’s one particular phrase that Larocque reminds herself of throughout the game: “next best action.”
“That's literally what I say to myself, and I've shared that with other people,” said Larocque. “It's like, what's your next best action? Typically, it's to stop and hustle back. But then, in your head, it's also just getting out of your head sometimes. It’s just about getting out of your head and being in the moment.”
That “next best action” mentality is what the Ottawa Charge will be leaning upon in their final regular-season game. They may only need one single point, but they’re going for the win in front of the home crowd.
“The last game we played here versus New York, the crowd was so into it,” Guilday said. “And I think just feeling that energy, it just makes us that much more excited to do it again.”
Ottawa Charge captain Brianne Jenner and Boston Fleet forward Susanna Tapani (Credit: The PWHL)One final game against a familiar opponent and one they’ve defeated before under similar circumstances. Kateřina Mrázová scored at 2:52 of overtime against these very same Sceptres, punching their ticket to the playoffs.
They know they can do it, and they have the confidence of a winning streak to back it up. More importantly, they know the mentality that will help them secure a win and bring another season of playoff hockey to the nation’s capital.