The Ottawa Charge Will Lean Upon Past Experience In Pursuit Of The Walter Cup

The Charge were able to stave off elimination following a thrilling 2-1 regulation win on Monday in Game 3 of the Walter Cup on goals from Peyton Hemp and Rebecca Leslie, but the job isn't done yet.

"Truly there was a comfortability in where we sat," head coach Carla MacLeod said following the Game 3 win. "It was about getting one in a row. The reality is that we have to go and get another one in a row." To do that, Ottawa will look to continue believing in one another, as it has all season long, and will lean on past experiences within the group to propel it to victory.

The very definition of experience within this group starts with Brianne Jenner, the captain since day one, who has a long list of successes in prior leagues and internationally. Layer into that the experience of fellow Team Canada teammates Emily Clark and Jocelyne Larocque, who also round out the leadership group of the team. And while there are many more examples of experience on this team, with players like Ronja Savolainen and Kateřina Mrázová, there are two others whose prior experience in a situation exactly like this one shouldn't be overlooked.

You see, defender Emma Greco and forward Michela Cava, whom the Charge acquired from the Vancouver Goldeneyes on January 18, have been in this situation before in the PWHL. Back in 2024, during the league's inaugural playoffs, the duo were with PWHL Minnesota and found themselves down 2-0 to PWHL Toronto following two consecutive shutout losses.

"I think there was a bit of panic in the room," Greco recalled. "It was the first year with the league and the first time there was a five-game series, so I think there was a bit of panic. But Ken Klee used to always say just win one game, focus on one game at a time." What transpired next is exactly the experience the Charge will draw upon and the outcome the team will seek to replicate.

Following those two shutout losses, Minnesota shut out Toronto in two straight before winning the deciding game 4-1. While neither contributed directly to the score sheet, the experience gained is just as valuable. "I think it's that anything can happen," Greco said. "It doesn't matter if you're up two games. In year one, people panicked until we won, and then we realized we didn't have to panic. We got this."

Greco has helped stabilize the backend alongside Kathryn Reilly and Brooke Hobson and has quietly been a reliable and effective defender for the team. Charge fans have already seen the impact a player like Cava can have on a game, as she scored the double-overtime winner to punch Ottawa's ticket to the Finals.

The Ottawa Charge will undoubtedly continue to lean on their offensive catalysts, such as hometown hero Rebecca Leslie, and the always dangerous Fanuza Kadirova, along with the MVP-calibre performances of Gwyneth Philips. In games like these, though, where everything is on the line, being able to lean on the exact game experiences that both Emma Greco and Michela Cava bring may contribute to a winning recipe and the franchise's first Walter Cup.