Ottawa Steals Three Crucial Points, New York Loses Seventh Straight

PWHL Ottawa took three crucial points in the playoff race against PWHL New York, who lost their seventh straight game.

PWHL Ottawa goalie Emerance Maschmeyer stood tall during major third-period adversity to record her first shutout and send New York's playoff hopes reeling in a 3-0 victory at Total Mortgage Arena on Wednesday night.

The 29-year-old and member of the gold-medal winning Canada women's national ice hockey team stopped all 26 shots the hosts threw at her in Bridgeport.

Much more importantly, however, was her performance between the pipes during a pivotal penalty laden stretch with her team severely undermanned midway through the third period.

After Tereza Vanisova was given a five-minute major and game misconduct -- the biggest in a series of penalties by both teams -- for a blind hit on Abby Roque into the boards, Ottawa had to kill off not only a full 5-on-3 disadvantage but also a 5-on-4 for another minute.

For over three minutes, New York controlled the puck in their offensive zone but Ottawa's effective triangle combined with Maschmeyer's solid effort left the hosts with little to show for their time of possession.

New York seemed deflated by that stretch and when Brianne Jenner's wrister for her fourth goal sailed past New York netminder Abbey Levy with 2:37 remaining to make it 2-0, the hosts' seventh straight loss was a done deal.

The defeat also marked the third time this season New York has not scored a goal, the most recent coming on March 3 against Minnesota at UBS Arena in Elmont.

An empty net goal by Emily Clark, also her fourth, put the final emotional toll on an extremely frustrating night for New York, which faces an extremely uphill fight to have any shot at the PWHL's first post-season action.

Trailing 1-0 on a first-period goal by Ottawa's Daryl Watts, New York tried to battle back during a scoreless second period with several good scoring opportunities and a better rush into the visitors' end of the ice.

The hosts outshot Ottawa 11-8 -- after being outshot 15-5 in the first period -- as evidence of their tightening up the execution over that middle stanza. The game ended with a 29-26 shot advantage in favor of Ottawa.

Ottawa had literally taken up residence in the offensive zone and dominated the overall flow in the initial frame. New York misfired on many transitional-rush passes and didn't record its second shot on net until 9:19 remained in period one.

Ottawa's neutral-zone execution and speed through all three zones kept New York in chase mode until the bounce-back second period.

The visitors' solid and fast-paced start reaped dividends with two-and-a-half minutes to go in the first when Watts converted a perfect pass across the low slot from Katerina Mrazova to make it 1-0.

Watts' goal -- her fifth this season -- was set up when Jenner took control of a loose puck just inside the blue line and found Mrazova open inside the right circle to set up the subsequent feed to Watts.

Marzova played an integral role in Ottawa's scoring with the primary assist on all three goals.

The hosts' best chance to light the lamp came with just one minute remaining in the first when Paetyn Levis' breakaway attempt was headed top shelf but Maschmeyer managed to deflect the puck off her left shoulder.

For certain members of both PWHL Ottawa and New York, attention now shifts to the NCAA Women's Frozen Four national championship tournament in Durham, New Hampshire.

Semi-final play on Friday (March 22) features top-seeded Ohio State facing No. 4 Clarkson at 4 p.m., followed by No. 2 Wisconsin against No. 3 Colgate at 7: 30 p.m. The title game is Sunday, March 24 at 4 p.m.Alumni from those schools who will be watching intently include Ottawa's Jincy Roese (Ohio State), Daryl Watts and Emily Clark (Wisconsin), Rosalie Demers and Malia Schneider (Colgate) and Savannah Harmon (Clarkson); and New York's Paetyn Levis (Ohio State), Abby Roque and Madison Packer (Wisconsin), Jessie Eldridge and Olivia Zafuto (Colgate) and Elizabeth Giguere and Ella Shelton (Clarkson).

Katerina Mrazova's three assists and team-leading 16 points this season gives her points in six of her last seven games...Brianne Jenner, along with her goal, likewise logged her eighth assist and has six points in her last four games. She has 12 points this season...Daryl Watts' goal also made her a member of the double-digit club via her 10th point...Ottawa's first-period goal was its 18th in the opening frame this season...New York has lost all four games at Total Mortgage Arena.